


Planet of Dragons

by bookscape



Category: Lost in Space (TV 1965)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-24 19:50:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 55,227
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20020072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookscape/pseuds/bookscape
Summary: Strange occurrences take the Robinson's to a planet where any kind of physical or mental deviation is frowned on and persecuted.





	1. Chapter 1

__**Planet of  
Dragons continues from the point at which Planet of Freedom left  
off. This story tells more of the history of the telepathic  
flutter dragons and delves into the power of myth, or is it  
prophecy?? **

_**Story Line:** _

_**When the Robinson's return to Karturm for a bit of rest, they find their old camp destroyed and something left behind which is both enticing and sinister.** _

_**Acknowledgements and Thanks:** _

_**The Robinson clan, the Robot and the Jupiter II are the property of the heirs of Irwin Allen and I borrowed them with a great deal of gratitude. The flutter dragons, all of the aliens and Max, the robot are my creation and I sure did enjoy interacting them with our heroes.** _

_**Many thanks go to Susan Ming, who was my main grammar beta reader for this one. Many thanks also to Patricia Crumpler, who kept an eye on the plot and the characters for me. I have made very few changes from the time it was first put up about three years ago.** _

The two books quoted at the beginning and the end of the story are Stellaluna by Janell Cannon and How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss, (Theodore Geisel). I am most grateful for such fine stories to use as an opening and a closing to this story. 

**Chapter One-**

**Surprise**

**" 'Her bat ways were quickly disappearing.Except for one thing; she still liked to sleep hanging by her feet,'“ John read.Mark was cradled in the crook of his arm where he gurgled and waved his chubby arms as his grandfather juggled the book and pointed to the picture.**

**" 'Once, when Mama was away, the curious baby birds decided to try it, too.When Mama Bird came home, she saw eight tiny feet gripping the edge of the nest."Eeek!" she cried,' " he continued. Mark jumped at his exclamation."Mark, the birds and the bat are animals from Earth," he explained to his two month old grandson as the baby alternately looked toward the soothingly colored illustrations in the book and at him.**

**Rocking slowly back and forth as he read, John remembered, fondly, the one excursion he had made just prior to their launch from Earth after the Graxod incident.He had visited a large bookstore near Houston, insisting on buying what he considered the best in children's literature.His other indulgence was the 'folding' rocking chair that was more or less a permanent fixture in the suite of rooms they occupied on Urgorrim. Now he was reading his favorite, Stellaluna to the baby. **

**Rrangruk was sitting on a large couch across the room from his human friend."You have taken to being a grandsire quite well, my friend.I wish I had grand-cubs to spoil as you are obviously doing with this one." The Urgorrim leader chuckled at the sight of his friend so taken with the, what seemed to him, tiny baby."He has grown very healthy and very large, for a human, that is.Your grandchild should be ready for launch tomorrow and suffer no discomfort."**

**"Thanks, Rrangruk.And you know that I have enjoyed our sojourn here, certainly much more than I did the first time," John said with a smile.Mark fussed and the professor turned a page."But I can never repay you for what you have done for our family."**

**"John, you are always welcome here for the regeneration, although I would prefer you to come just to visit," Rrangruk said and then whuffed with laughter."As long as we are talking about repayment, our planet's debt to you can never be repaid either, so let us not discuss it any longer.We have helped each other and are grateful for our friendships," he added softly.John looked at him and nodded.**

**A rainbow hued flock of little flying creatures came zipping into the room and hovered above John and Mark.Squeaking happily, the flutter-dragons made small aerial displays close enough that he felt the breeze of their passing.**

**_'Well, he won't listen to the rest of the story now that you made your grand entrance_ ,' he informed the flutter-dragons telepathically.John immediately got a somewhat blurred image of past lizard performances and realized that the little creatures had somehow received the impression of Mark's pleasure in their presence.**

****

**"Oh, Daddy.You're going to spoil Mark rotten," Judy West told him with a laugh as she came in the room behind the lizards.**

**"Leave me be, child.I'm thoroughly enjoying myself," he said, looking up at the baby's mother with a great smile.Mark began fussing, kicking a little harder and making small cries."Fatherhood is the ultimate experience, but this is wonderful."**

**"Yes, you can indulge him like crazy and then hand him back to me when he dirties his diapers," she said with a gleam in her eye.Rrangruk whuffed softly at the exchange.**

**John affected a shocked expression."Me?I change as many as Don does."**

**"Um, your point, Dad?" Judy said, trying to be serious, but then she began laughing."And, yes, I'm teasing.You men have your helpful moments.Right now, Mark's fussing because he's hungry."John handed the baby over to her and then got up from the rocker.She sat down and soon Mark was nursing noisily while the flutter-dragons sat atop various pieces of furniture, crooning softly in a harmonious blending of sound.It never ceased to amaze the humans how the little creatures could make the range of sounds they made, not having real mouths.**

**John and Rrangruk took their leave, making their way to the landing site of the Jupiter II, where they found Don checking out the control systems."You know, it seems that this is all we do," the major said with a wry smile."I'm assuming Judy found you."John nodded."Yeah, figured she would find Mark with you.She told me he was hungry.Amazes me how she can read that boy's mind."**

**"Don, that's not totally a telepathy thing, it's a mother thing," John responded."Maureen seemed to know when the children were hungry and when they were fussing for some other reason.I usually couldn't tell the difference."**

**Rrangruk took one of the data boards and helped John check the life support systems until the flutter-dragons came with a message that dinner was ready.**

**==========================**

**The family lifted off from the planet the next day after the two-month hiatus, which had allowed them to visit their old friends in both Urgorrim cities.Within a few days, the Jupiter II would be setting down on Karturm for another extended visit, this time at the site they had called home for almost eight months.To John, it had seemed a lifetime since they had taken off, when in actuality it was only a mere three or so months.**

**Although he enjoyed the idea of exploring new worlds, he felt strangely drawn back to the planet of the flutter-dragons.As the star trails of hyperspace flowed and coalesced outside of the observation window, John stared unseeing, reminiscing.After a short while he made his way down to the cargo bay, where he checked out the equipment they would need upon reaching Karturm.**

**"Professor Robinson, would you care for a short workout?" a tinny voice asked behind him.**

**Turning, John saw Max standing only a few feet away from him and was again amazed at how quiet the automaton could be.And he could almost swear that there was a note of pleading in the mechanical voice."I suppose that I need a workout.It's been quite a while.You choose, Max," John told him.Max turned and walked quickly to the workout area.John followed, pulling off his outer shirt.**

**When the robot turned back to him, he had the box that had held the Graxod swords."Max, I really don't want to work out with the plantiod-crinth.That womgrantiod is still a bit too fresh in my memory.Besides, I gave my sword to Mdorin.It would be hard to work out with one sword."**

**Max simply opened the box and inside there were two of the deadly sabers."I saved the Lord Commander's sword after the womgrantiod.That was your right as the victor, sir."**

**Kalingdor's sword.John almost shuddered as he remembered the fight with the Graxod commander."No, Max.Not now.Maybe I will be better able to practice with them later.What would be handy now would be to learn and improve in the field of hand-to-hand combat."**

**"I understand, Professor," Max said as he replaced the box with the plantiod-crinth in its storage area."I wanted to tell you that I was most impressed with the skill you exhibited in the womgrantiod.You used all means at your disposal, but with honor.I was proud to have been your trainer."**

**Silverado squeaked loudly from one of the little trees in the arboretum.The branch the lizard was sitting on sagged ominously, and John couldn't help but think that the flutter-dragons were growing a bit. _'Yes, we were a three way team, weren't we, my boastful little friend_ ,' John said in answer to a thought from the little creature.It also seemed as though the Karturmese were communicating in a more precise manner as well.**

**"Max, your training and Silverado's help saved my life as well as accomplishing what I set out to do.I'm sorry I didn't thank you earlier."**

**"That is what you bought me for, Professor Robinson, but I appreciate your thanks.You are a most able student," Max replied."What kind of hand-to-hand combat do you wish to practice?"**

**"Well, I showed you some of the Tae Kwan Do that I learned a long time ago.How about a variation of that, if you have such a thing in your memory banks," John suggested.**

**"Very well, sir.There is one such form of combat.It involves a great deal of foot work, but after seeing what you already know, it shouldn't be too difficult to learn."**

**What it turned out to be was a great deal of acrobatics, John realized after a short while.He also realized that he had lost some of the muscle tone that had been gained when he was practicing extensively for the womgrantiod.When he finally called a halt to the workout, he felt thoroughly exhausted.Bending over to catch his breath, he panted, "Max, that is deceptively easy looking.... but it's tougher than it looks."**

**"Yes, sir, but if we had had time earlier, I would have started with this.It builds up stamina as well as strength."**

**"I can believe it," John puffed as he straightened up.Max handed him a towel."Thanks, I believe we will concentrate on this for awhile.Do you think that Will would benefit from something like this?"Will had been fascinated by his workouts with the sword and wanted to practice with Max.This would be something good for him, but much less dangerous.**

**"Of, course, Professor.In fact, I would venture to say that due to his youth, he will pick this up even quicker than you," Max said pointedly.**

**"Um, thanks, Max,” John said with a chuckle.The robot never flattered anybody, nor did he give praise unless it was deserved."I'll talk to him about it.By the way, you do know that as part of the crew, you are welcome to come up to the observation deck anytime."**

**"Thank you, Professor.I have not become well acquainted with Robot, but I think that he is not pleased with my presence."**

**"He'll get over it," John said dryly.**

**========================**

**The stars flowed and then suddenly ebbed into normal pinpricks and bright beacons of light that signified a return to normal space.John gasped almost imperceptibly at the sudden overwhelming desire to be on Karturm.For a brief moment it felt almost as though a leash was tied around his neck and someone was tugging on it.**

**Puzzled by this sudden powerful occurrence, the professor frowned and then checked the coordinates for the short jump that would take them closer to the planet.Only glancing at the computer printout, John fed the coordinates into the navigational computer and ordered Don to make the jump.The stars congealed into lava-like flows of light and then a scant few minutes later rearranged themselves into their natural order.**

**"Well, there's Karturm, our home away from home," Don announced brightly."It's good to be back, you know."**

**Yes, it is," John agreed with a smile.**

**"Professor Robinson, may I point out an error in the hyper-jump procedure?" the Robot intoned.**

**"Not now, Robot," John said, turning to Don."How soon do you think you can land this thing?I'm eager to feel dirt under my feet."**

**"Soon, John," Don told him."Especially if Maureen will do a scan of the area."**

**Nine lizards suddenly burst from the stairwell in an explosive display of color.They squeaked and crooned, their happiness obvious and infectious.John laughed with them.They gyrated recklessly around the observation deck, weaving over and around panels, chairs and people.' _Home_ ,' John heard distinctly in his mind.He looked at Silverado in surprise.The little lizard just executed a loop-de-loop and then hovered in front of his face, his golden eyes shining.John felt their exuberance as a tangible thing.**

**The flutter-dragons soared and zoomed around the observation deck until finally coming to rest on the robot, clutching on to his smooth frame and flapping their shimmering wings for balance.With a loud, "Hrumph," Robot raised and lowered his plasticine dome, scattering flutter-dragons in all directions.Squeaking indignantly, they all found their human companions and landed on their shoulders.Aurora and Nova flew back down the stairwell.Penny's four perched on the top of the control panel and stared down at their home planet along with their mistress.**

**"I would really prefer not to be used as a flutter-dragon roost," the Robot said, jerking his dome down for emphasis.John chuckled at the Robot's indignation.**

**"Good heavens!" Maureen exclaimed.**

**"What is it?John asked, striding over to her.**

**"Look at that."She pointed to the screen where the results of her scan were being displayed.There was some fuzziness due to atmospheric conditions, but the destruction was clearly evident.The outbuildings they had constructed were destroyed, pieces strewn about and scattered.**  
  
---


	2. Chapter 2

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Two-**

**Compulsion**

**"Some kind of tornado?"John asked.**

**"I really can't say," Maureen replied."But it looks complete.If it was a storm, then it must have been a meteorological anomaly occurring only in the summer months, because there was never any evidence of this type of weather when we were here before."**

**John felt a rising alarm at the implications of what he was seeing, but he was nevertheless still eager to land.It was strange feeling both emotions at the same time.**

**"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now.Let's go ahead and land," Penny announced in the silence that followed her mother's words.**

**Looking at his youngest daughter and then back at the screen, John pondered the situation.Finally the silence grew so long that Don looked up at him and said,"You're not seriously thinking of landing there, are you, John?"**

**It disturbed him that the thought did fleetingly occur to him.Mentally berating himself, John turned to Maureen."What does it look like a hundred kilometers to the south of our old position?"**

**"Looks fine," she said after a short pause to check her scans.**

**"Excellent.Locate a suitable clearing and give Don the coordinates.Then we'll land and set up camp."Silverado almost pranced on his shoulder and John could feel excitement in the flutter-dragon's mind.Perhaps that was where the confusing feelings were coming from, he thought as he watched Don skillfully pilot the spacecraft to a safe landing.**

**============================**

**John stood looking out at the thick pre-dawn darkness in confusion.The day before had been particularly strenuous, but their camp was set up and the family could relax and take some time to celebrate their own Thanksgiving even if it was going to be a couple of days late.Now he tried to remember waking up and dressing, without success.Suddenly he had been awake and standing in front of the observation window, seemingly ready for a walk outside.**

**"Professor Robinson, I detect that you are distracted.Is there a problem that I may be able to help you with?" the Robot asked, rolling toward him.**

**"No, unless you can tell me why at almost forty-five, I have suddenly developed the propensity for sleep-walking."**

**The robot raised and then lowered his clear dome, made a metallic 'throat-clearing' sound and pondered for a minute."That would explain why you did not answer me when I addressed you a few minutes ago."**

**"And that might explain why I suddenly woke up," John murmured, his brow furrowed in concern.**

**"That is similar to what happened to Penny the night after we landed.She had apparently been sleep-walking as well and only woke up when I warned her against going outside at two o'clock in the morning," the Robot explained."Perhaps there is a correlation, Professor."**

**Looking at the automaton in surprise, John tried to figure out what that connection might be.He rubbed his eyes; he was much too tired to think at the moment."Has this happened to anyone else?"**

**"Not that I am aware of, Professor, but I did overhear Mrs. Robinson saying that she had inexplicably awakened one night and then had heard Penny leaving her cabin."**

**"Keep working on the problem, Robot.The only time anyone in the family has done something like this before has been when external forces have influenced that member," John told him, remembering the time when he had been possessed by Cantos, the centuries old demonic spirit.He was disturbed that such might be the case here.**

**"Affirmative. I will begin immediately," he intoned."Perhaps it would be best if you went back to bed."**

**"I think I will.Let me know if you figure out anything," John replied, stifling a yawn.**

**=======================**

**As Maureen prepared the table for the family's Thanksgiving dinner, Maggie continuously flew through the clearing, squeaking and chirping imploringly.At times the little blue lizard would skim over the treetops near the north end of the clearing and then come back, land on Maureen's shoulder and tug on her hair.**

**_'Go find another lizard and fly in the woods. Just let me work_!' Maureen finally thought in exasperation.Maggie chirped indignantly and then zipped off, dodging trees and bushes. **

****

**The flutter-dragons had been almost annoying since they had landed.Maureen could only attribute it to a desire to go back to the forest where they were living when the ship had first landed on Karturm.Shaking her head, she got back to dinner.Judy came out of the ship with Mark and the portable playpen.**

**"Let me take him while you set that up, dear," Maureen said, reaching out for her grandson.Mark made a sweeping grab at her hair, and she laughed even though he succeeded and jerked hard enough to make her gasp."Such strength, my darling, just like your grandpa," she murmured.Pulling his fist loose, she walked back over to Judy and handed him back."I need to go check the dinner and your father.He's kept to himself all day working on something."**

**"I'll finish out here, Mom," Judy said.**

**==========================**

**Professor Robinson, I have computed all of the recent occurrences and have come to the most logical conclusion," the Robot intoned.**

**John was checking out the condition of one of the laser rifles, making adjustments where needed, and making sure the charge on the power core was adequate.Looking up, he said, "Well, what did you figure out?"**

**"There is some kind of compulsory force at work near our old landing site.Its power seems to work on those who have telepathic abilities.You and Penny have the greatest abilities in that area and therefore are the most strongly affected.I have noticed that the flutter-dragons are also affected.I compute that this force will continue to exert its influence indefinitely, as long as the source of its power lasts."**

**"Nice thought," John growled as he made the last adjustment on the rifle and got up, slinging the weapon over his shoulder. The idea that some external force was affecting his behavior was more than disturbing; it agitated him greatly, and he considered its threat to be serious enough to warrant quick action.**

**Going down to the cargo bay, he immediately pulled out the only fully operational jet pack, checking its power settings and adjusting the delicate gyroscopic apparatus.**

**"Sir, are you planning an excursion?"Max asked from behind him.John started, not having heard the martial arts robot approach.**

**"Max, you are without a doubt the quietest robot I have ever been around," John said testily."And you'd better start giving me warning when you approach."**

**"Yes, sir.But that is simply the way I was constructed, sir."The robot stood waiting patiently.**

**"Yes, I am, Max.I have to find out what's going on at our old camp."**

**"Going alone against the unknown is not very wise, Professor," Max pointed out.**

**Still aggravated at the Robot's findings, John had a retort ready, but was unable to give it because of his wife's approach.**

**"Going alone where?"Maureen asked.**

**"To the old site."**

**"Alone?"Her eyes widened as she pondered the implications of what he said."Oh, John, you can't do that."Suddenly she felt a great dread course through her.**

**"Maureen, this is something that has to be done.And it can't wait.Tomorrow I plan on taking the jet pack and checking out the old landing site.I can do it in less than two days. "**

**She took a deep breath, trying to come up with a plausible argument that would convince him to wait."John, you know that even though I might not always be happy with all of your decisions, I usually acquiesce.But this time I can't just sit back and let you do something that I feel is wrong."He started to say something, but she held her hand up to stop him. A spark of anger flashed in his eyes, but he nodded for her to continue."Some of my reasons may seem frivolous, but together they give me great cause to worry.**

**"First, we have only been here a few days.I think you're rushing this," she said.**

**"Maureen, I have reasons for needing to do this now."**

**"Granted, but you are planning on going alone.That's foolish.At least take Don. You don't have any idea what's out there," Maureen said in exasperation.**

**"All I need to know right now is that there's something affecting our family and I want to find out what it is and if possible, neutralize it," he retorted."I am going tomorrow.And I won't ask Don to go with me.He has a baby."**

**"John Robinson, you spent the time that was needed to plan strategy against the Graxod, and that's the main reason that you succeeded in stopping them.It's foolish to go compulsively traipsing off somewhere with no forethought and....."She stopped, realizing what part of his reasoning must be."It is a compulsion, isn't it?Something is affecting you, just as it is Penny and the lizards.It's clouding your judgment.Don't you see, John? Whatever this is, it's making you irrational and impulsive."Maureen felt almost as though she was babbling, but she couldn't help it.The feeling that John was going into a situation of extreme danger was overwhelming."You're wrong to go alone.Don't ask how I know, I just do.Don't go until someone can go with you."**

**"Maureen, I have no intention of changing my plans, nor do I intend to belabor the point either," he snapped.She saw a harshness in his features that he seldom exhibited, especially to her.The flutter-dragons that had been in the cargo bay retreated to the arboretum, squeaking pensively."Be quiet," he shouted.They were immediately silent.**

**"John, there's also that alien ship to consider.The one that I saw come in, but didn't answer us when we tried to communicate with it."To her irritation, he just shrugged.**

**"Stop it, Maureen.I'm going out there to take care of whatever is affecting us, and I'm going alone," his voice rose as his anger increased."And don't question my judgment.I know what I'm doing."**

**Desperately, Maureen reached out and putting her hand on his arm, tried to draw him toward her.His muscles were tight and conveyed the anger, which she could also feel in his now less guarded thoughts.He drew away, and began walking toward their living quarters.**

**"John, don't do this. I've almost lost you several times.Don't shut me out on this," she cried."John, please, listen to me.**

**He turned back to her, an angry glint in his eye. "I have listened enough, and have heard nothing but emotional nonsense.Just drop it."**

**It was her turn for anger to kindle."John, how dare you dismiss my concerns as though they were the morning trash.How dare you imply that you are the only one who is capable of making an intelligent decision!"Tears of anger and hurt began to fill her eyes.She blinked hard to keep them from overflowing.This was not the time or the place for that."I am not being foolish and my concerns are real, but you are too stubborn and pig-headed to listen to me.I just pray that my fears are wrong.That my dread of this decision you're making is foolishness, but I know it's not."**

**Before he had a chance to say or do anything, Maureen stormed past him into the galley.John watched her go, his entire body tense with pent up anger and guilt. What bothered him the most was the fact that her arguments had a great deal of validity.Finally, he vented his rage by slapping his palm against the bulkhead before he, too, stalked out.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Three](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons3.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fanfiction Page](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	3. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Three-**

**Kiss and Make Up**

**Will had found a tiny unused section of the cargo bay, some leftover parts in a small crate and a blueprint of the jet pack and was putting together one of his own.His concentration was complete, his mouth set in a hard line, his eyes narrowed.Nova sat atop one of the original jet packs that leaned against the wall, squeaking a query.But even this didn't penetrate into Will's consciousness.He had been working almost non-stop all day.**

**Hearing a noise from another part of the room, the thirteen-year-old peered around the box of parts and saw his father and Max, working together on the other jet pack.As he was about to make his presence known, he heard his dad inform Max of his intentions to explore their old landing site alone.It was then that he saw his mother approach.**

**She seemed totally flustered by his dad's decision and Will could feel the fear in her mind as well as in her words.Slightly guilty at the unintentional eavesdropping, he crept further back behind the crate and listened.What little he could pick up from his dad was a seething cauldron of anger, frustration, tension and fear. _Fear_? he thought to himself.It was hard to imagine his father fearing anything, but he knew that it was so, especially when it came to their own welfare.**

**As the argument progressed, Will sat, stunned.He could perhaps count on one hand the number of times that his parents had spoken this angrily to each other.When both parents had left the bay, he looked back at the second jet pack leaning against the bulkhead and realized that he, too, was probably under a bit of compulsion, not totally understanding the reason for suddenly wanting to build a jet pack of his own.**

**It hadn't taken him very long, except for the combustion chamber, and he was almost through with that.Pondering the larger jet pack, he looked in the crate and pulled out a few parts that looked as though they might be useful in fixing the larger machine.**

**"Do you require some assistance, Will Robinson?" Max asked in his tinny voice.**

**"Don't sneak up on me like that!"Will exclaimed.**

**"My apologies, sir."**

**"Yes, Max, hand me that wrench," he said pointing.Soon they were finished.**

**"Sir, your father informed me that perhaps you might want me to teach you some forms of martial arts that I have stored in my memory banks," the robot said.**

**Will's eyes lit up."You bet, Max.Could you teach me a little bit before dinner?" he asked.**

**"Yes, Will Robinson, I would be happy to."**

**After several hours, Will felt that he had the rudiments of the foot fighting techniques that Max was patiently teaching him."Wow, that was some workout!"**

**"That is almost exactly what your father said, Will Robinson.But because of your youth, you are more agile and are learning this chi-chi-nah form of fighting much more quickly than your father is.Come back anytime and I will show you more.Now you must do the cooling down exercises to keep your muscles from tightening up," Max explained and showed the boy.**

**Will followed the robot's instructions implicitly and by the time Nova informed him that dinner was ready, he had cooled off and caught his breath.He sincerely hoped that his parents had cooled off too, or else dinner was going to be very quiet.**

**========================================**

**Although it was held outside, dinner was eaten in relative silence, only the sounds of the forest breaking into the silence around the table.Will realized that his thought about his parents cooling off was made with a poor choice of words.They had cooled off all right; the atmosphere was downright chilly.**

**Penny alternately stared at her mother and father, unable to totally figure out what was going on.Will kept his eyes on his plate, and she could get no telepathic clues from anybody.Don and Judy seemed to recognize what was going on, but they weren't letting any clues escape either.Even the lizards had retreated to the arboretum.**

**Finally Will could stand the relative silence no longer."Dad, I've built my own jet pack.When you go exploring, can I go with you?"**

**Simultaneously, Maureen and John answered, "NO!"They looked morosely at each other before continuing their meal.**

**_'Well, at least we agree on something_ ,' Maureen thought sourly.John looked up in surprise before returning to his meal.He saw that Maureen's eyes held more sadness than anger in them. **

****

**Just about then, Maggie streaked into the clearing where they were eating.Behind her zipped a tiny gold-tinted green lizard.Maggie landed on Maureen's shoulder, but seeing itself amongst strangers, the little lizard desperately tried to backpedal and fly back into the safety of the forest.Instead it landed in the gravy boat.**

**"Oh," Judy cried out, dipping her hand into the bowl and gently removing the flutter-dragon."You poor thing.Thank goodness the gravy has cooled."Using her napkin, she gently wiped the gravy off of his wings first and then cleaned the rest of the tiny creature's body.**

**It squeaked pensively at first and then seemed to calm down as though sensing it was among those who would not hurt him.Hopping out of Judy's hand, the little creature squeaked at Aurora, who was sitting on the young mother's shoulder and then stared at the playpen sitting near the dinner table.Spreading his gossamer wings, the lizard floated gently over to the edge of the playpen and cocked his head at the baby sleeping peacefully inside.Looking back at Aurora, the two chirped and crooned at one another until the newcomer floated down into the playpen, walked over to Mark and curled up near him.The baby slept on, a slight smile on his cherubic face.**

**"I think we may have another member of the family," Don announced, happy for the interlude that brightened up the otherwise morose mood of the group.**

**"Have our lizards grown that big in a year?" Penny asked.The newcomer was only half the size of their own nine.**

**"It would appear that way," Maureen observed, smiling slightly at the little newcomer resting comfortably next to Mark."I have noticed lately that Maggie has seemed a bit heavier on my shoulder." She surreptitiously glanced at John, who was looking at her over his glass.His features seemed softer, his eyes less angry.**

**_'We agree on something else, too, Mo_ ,'he told her mentally.It was her turn to look surprised.' _We love each other_ ,' His thoughts then caressed hers tenderly.**

****

**So startled was she, that a single tear slid down her cheek.She got up and quickly went into the spaceship.John soon followed.The rest just sat quietly, pondering.**

**"Did Mom and Dad have an argument?" Penny asked.**

**"If I were a gambling man, I would certainly bet on it," Don observed.**

**==================================**

**"Maureen," John said, sitting down next to her in their cabin.**

**"John, before you say anything, are you going to try to tell me how silly I am about my fear of you going off alone?"Her eyes were large with unshed tears.**

**"No, dear, I'm not.There was a great deal of truth in what you said," he said softly."I'm sorry about the way I treated you."Taking her gently in his arms, he held her for several minutes, not only physically embracing his wife, but letting the tendrils of his deep love for her flow like a warm summer breeze into the corners of her mind.She gasped at the intimacy of his 'embrace', and the unshed tears finally rolled down her cheeks.Holding his hands on each side of her face, John carefully wiped the tears away before tenderly kissing her.**

**Following his example, Maureen let her feelings flow into his mind, and they enjoyed a closeness that they would never have believed possible.Finally Maureen murmured, "John, what are we going to do about tomorrow?"**

**"I don't know, dear," John said, slowly coming out of the spell they had cast on each other."The Robot caught me sleep-walking a couple of nights ago and then added all of the little incidents together.He came up with the theory that there is something at our old site that is drawing us to it.I'm afraid that after the other time I was 'possessed,' it really bothers me to feel that something out there has the capability to do it again."John sat quietly, savoring the warmth of his wife's body against his.The argument had left him feeling drained and depressed.He still was to some extent, but at least he didn't feel alone."You already know my reasons for not taking Don, and I'm certainly not going to take Will, so I have no choice but to go alone."**

**Maureen looked a bit indignant before answering. "John, I may not be able to fight a womgrantiod, but I am not helpless.Let me come with you.I'm not affected by this force as much as you are, and I think that I may be able to help you fight it," she reasoned.**

**Sighing, he stared pensively at the far wall of their cabin."One of the reasons that I wanted to go alone is I didn't want to put any of the rest of you in danger."**

**"I know that, John, and I appreciate your concern for us, but this is not the time to go solo."**

**There was what seemed to be an eternity before he answered."All right, but only if you promise to follow my orders explicitly if the need arises," he said.**

**"Only if you're not under any type of alien or telepathic compulsion," Maureen countered.**

**John looked at her in surprise for a moment before smiling."I can go along with that.But we'll have to go in the chariot, which means that the trip will take a bit longer."**

**"No problem," Maureen replied, leaning her head on his arm.He laughed and took her in another embrace.**

**"We'll go the day after tomorrow.That will give Don and I more time to get the chariot ready," he murmured.**

**When they left their cabin and headed for the cargo bay, Maureen noticed that everything had been cleaned up and put away from dinner.Inside the large room, Don was watching Will work out with Max.John and Maureen also watched for a while.It was only when Will called a halt to his lesson that he noticed his parents.**

**"Bravo, Will.Max told me that you'd be quicker at learning this chi-chi-nah than I am.He's right," John told his son.Will beamed with pleasure.**

**"Thanks, Dad.I really am enjoying this," he said, breathing hard."By the way, do you want to see the new jet pack that I built today?"**

**"A jet pack?Of course, son," he said, wondering at the purpose for Will's sudden desire to build one.Turning to Don, he said,"We need to check out the chariot.Maureen and I are going to take it to our old site the day after tomorrow."**

**"Uh, John, don't you think that the two of us should go?Might be too dangerous to take Maureen," Don argued.**

**"Don, I really don't want to get into an argument with anyone else on this.Just accept that I have two very good reasons for wanting you to stay, not the least of which is the fact that I want you in charge here, taking care of our family."**

**Looking closely into John's eyes, Don realized that he wouldn't be able to sway him.Finally, he just shrugged."Okay, John, your call."**

**"Oh, Dad, I forgot to tell you.Max and I fixed the other jet pack, too," Will told his father.**

**All three adults looked at him in wonder."Why am I not surprised," Don murmured."Well, you two, what's your pleasure?To fly the friendly skies or take the scenic route?" he added with a chuckle.**

**"Friendly skies.I don't want to be away any longer than I have to be," John said quickly."And no offense to your abilities, son, but Don and I will test the jet pack tomorrow."**

**"I understand, sir," Will replied.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Four](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons4.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	4. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Four-**

**Derelict**

**When it was tested, Don found that the machine worked perfectly, and John and Maureen began making preparations to leave the following morning.If it hadn't been for the specter of the compulsion device, Maureen would have likened this to a second honeymoon.They hadn't been off together for any real length of time for many years.She said as much to John.**

**"That thought never occurred to me.Maybe we can think about a second honeymoon when the device is neutralized.Right now all I'm thinking about is getting back to our old site.If I followed my inclinations right now, I would be strapped into a jet pack and zipping on out of here, not necessarily in that order," he explained with a grim smile.**

**"Well, I'll hold you to that, John.When we have destroyed that device, we'll have some time to ourselves." Maureen said lightheartedly, trying to ignore his comments relating to the compulsory force of the alien device."I think we deserve it."**

**Early the next morning, the pair took off, their flutter-dragons inside a pouch squeaking with pleasure at the free ride.The couple had packed a few supplies and tied them on the back of their packs.The sun was shining, there were no winds and they made good time, but the closer they came to their old camp the more eager John became.He had to exercise a great deal of control to keep from opening up the throttle of the jet pack and going faster than the machine was capable of doing.**

**Shortly before noon, the pair reached their old landing site and surveyed the damage from the air.Then they ventured closer to the alien ship that had landed near the clearing.The hatch was open and several landing lights were on, but there was still a look of desolation about it.As they flew over the abandoned ship, Maureen felt the hair on the back of her neck rise."John, this is downright eerie," she said in the communicator.**

**After a long silence, he answered,"Yes, Smith would be getting out his exorcism equipment right now if he were still here."**

**His levity seemed forced and she said nothing for a moment, but concentrated instead on trying to raise someone on board the alien spaceship."John, I've been trying to communicate with the ship, but I don't think there's anyone on board to answer. All I'm getting is a recorded message in another language.I don't have my translator on, so I can't understand it.Sounds a bit like squeaky door hinges and off key bassoons." She knew that her humor was forced as well.Until they had actually seen this place and the abandoned ship, the implications of anything sinister had been somewhat remote. Now it was all too real.**

**It was then that she heard a soft whispering in her mind, something that somehow reminded her of the ocean, soft and gentle, but also forceful."John.....?" she began, but hearing his quick intake of breath, knew that he had felt it, too.**

**"Murreena's people," he gasped."This ship is from ssHreana. Let's land, Maureen."Gently he touched down, knees slightly bent and leaning forward to offset the weight on his back.Although she had been practicing, Maureen watched carefully and copied his actions as closely as she could. She stumbled a bit, but John was close enough to catch her before she fell.**

**"Thanks, dear.Practicing a few times does not an experienced landing make," she said.**

**"You did fine."Releasing the flutter-dragons, John then quickly undid the buckles of the jet pack and laid the machine on the ground.Turning, he helped Maureen out of her pack as well.Silverado and Maggie spun and gyrated in the bright afternoon sky, climbing higher and veering slightly north.For a brief moment they watched the lizards. _'Stay nearby.We will investigate the device together_ ,' he admonished them.Slight feelings of disappointment floated into his mind, but he noticed that they were flying back to them.**

**"Maureen, go ahead and contact Don.Let him know that we're safe and we're investigating the alien ship.Then wait for me to give you word before coming in," he instructed.**

**"All right, John," she answered.**

**Silverado floated near his head. _'Come with me.I may need your help_ ,' he instructed.The lizard chirped an affirmative and landing on John's shoulder, curled his prehensile tail loosely around his companion's neck.From the air, the spaceship looked about twice the size of the Jupiter II, but upon entering, a feeling of closeness pervaded.A single straight-line corridor ran the entire length of the ship, with banks of instruments interspersed along each wall. _Walls_? he thought.Walking over to a wall, John looked at some of the instrumentation and gasped in wonder as a view port lit up and showed him an ocean ecosystem in miniature, even to coral-like creatures and plant life.**

**Now he realized what the shape of this ship reminded him of.A whale.Walking further down the corridor, John stopped at another bank of instruments, and although nothing showed beyond the 'wall,' the panel itself lit up and he recognized it as a communications terminal.Sitting down at the chair, he flipped a few switches and contacted Maureen.**

**"I hear you loud and clear, John.What have you found?"**

**"Well, I'm pretty sure that I'm right on the ownership of this ship.Most of what I've seen so far indicates an aquatic race.Right now, I'm speaking to you from a communications station in the corridor.Apparently the ssHreana have some adaptations for air breathers, or have found that some functions are easier to do out of the water.Come on in.There's nothing dangerous; in fact you will really appreciate the habitat they've built in here."**

**He was right, she did."Oh, John, it's beautiful.Look at the delicate corals.It makes you want to go in and swim among them."Fan corals were interspersed with some that looked like trees."John, look at the polyps on the tree-like corals.They resemble violet leaves."**

**Suddenly, a creature with an intricate lacy mantle floated across the view screen, stopping directly in front of them.Maureen could see the elongated tube-like body under the flowing 'tresses,' as well as four or five tentacle-like appendages.The outer covering reminded her of her sister's antique tatted tablecloth.Very delicate, very elegant. In color it seemed to vary from light violet to a shimmering ivory.Others soon joined it and the aquatic creatures and humans pondered each other for a moment.**

**John was also entranced by this very different form of life.He vaguely remembered seeing something like this in Murreena's thoughts in the library at Wereeshen. _'I sense that you are familiar with our companions, the ssHreana_ ,' a soft whispery voice said in his mind.His eyes widened in shock.The lizards squeaked and leaned on their shoulders toward the creatures floating beyond the view screen.Maureen gasped and glanced at him before turning back to watch the delicate-looking beings. **

**_'Yes, it was one of the ssHreana that helped me learn to use the mental communication_ ,' John answered telepathically. _'Where did all of the ssHreana go_?'**

****

**_'A gate to another place.The compulsion was great and our companions only took the time to land safely before leaving to find this portal_ ,' John felt a mental sigh. _'The compulsion is still great, but we are powerless to follow its beckoning.You are telepathic, does it not beckon to you_?'**

****

**_'Yes, but my telepathic powers are weak compared to your companions.So far, I have been able to fight its influence.But I am here, am I not_?' John said with a wry smile. **

****

**_'You are and you will use the gate, you and those with you_.'**

****

**_'Yes, that is the only way to find out how to end the compulsion, isn't it_?’ John asked feeling the irony of the situation.**

****

**_'Please look for our companions and bring them back, if you can.We are very lonely.Some of our people have already died from the separation sickness, and others are sad beyond healing.We sense your companions, so perhaps you understand what we are saying_.'**

****

**_'Yes, I am feeling a great sadness_ ,' John concurred.Maureen communicated a feeling of melancholy picked up from the sea creatures as well. _'Are your life support systems working adequately_?'**

****

**_'Yes, we have everything that we physically need, John and Maureen.The only thing we lack are our companions_.'**

****

**_'My wife and I will leave for this gate shortly,'_ John informed them _.'What do we call you_?'**

**_'ssReelen is the name of our race.I am specifically called shurWeesMurreena, or in your language, Wees, the companion of Murreena_ ,' the creature said. **

****

**"Murreena?" John exclaimed. _'Murreena is the person who helped me.I last saw her at Graxod.What was she doing here_?'**

**_'Ah, the Lord Commander John Robinson.She told me about your quest.It seems that quests continue, do they not?She was here with a scientific team to investigate the origin of the little creatures such as the one who is your companion._ 'Silverado squeaked at the reference to himself.**

**_'It would seem that old quests end and new ones begin, shurWeesMurreena.We shall go now, but we will return before going to the gate_ ,' John told the ssReelen.**

****

**Outside the ship, Maureen was very quiet as she dug out some of the food she had packed.John found some fruit growing nearby and they sat down and ate quietly."Did you hear what Wees said?" he finally asked.**

**Maureen looked at her husband."Yes, very clearly, but I didn't pick up most of what you were saying.You do realize that we can't just simply destroy this gate, even if it's within our capabilities," she added softly.**

**"Yes, I know.Murreena and her people are on the other side and the ssReelen are dying on this side.We have to go through and see what's going on."**

**"I'm not totally happy about this, John.But there's nothing else we can do.We have to try and help the ssHreana and their companions.And by so doing, help ourselves," Maureen mused.The flutter-dragons, sitting in a tree near them, just stared with their luminous golden eyes.**

**"Maybe it would be better if you stayed on this side and waited for me."**

**"Oh, no, John Robinson, we've already been through that, and this time I am going with you," she said vehemently, glaring at him as though daring him to protest.**

**"Yes, ma'am," he complied meekly.She looked at him in shock.He looked back at her, a slight smile on his lips."After what I heard you did with Esther a few months ago and then what happened on Thanksgiving, I'm not going to argue with an immovable force this time.Besides, I believe deep down that you're right.Solo isn't the way this time, but Maureen, if something comes up and I give an order, don't argue, please."**

**"Agreed, John."The rest of the meal was finished in silence.**

**Soon they were in front of the habitat's view port.This time, John worked harder to include Maureen in the conversation. _'We are leaving for this gate.Is there any other information that you can give us before we go through it?_ '**

**_'The only other thing that was conveyed to us was some bit of information about a guardian_ ,' the ssReelen told them.**

****

**_'A guardian_?' John asked, puzzled.**

****

**_'Yes, they were looking for a guardian on the other side of the gate.Whether for good or ill, we do not know_.'**

****

**_'Thank you, and we will try our best to find your companions_ ,' John assured them.As they turned and left the view screen, lights dimmed. The whisperings of the ssReelen wishing them good fortune on their journey followed them out of the ship.**

****

**"John, where exactly is this thing?" Maureen asked him as they stored the jet packs just inside the entrance of the ssHreana ship.**

**"It's up the path toward the cave of K'rthk'rnkl," he answered simply.**

**She looked in the direction indicated for a moment."Yes, I feel it slightly.You're right."They walked back to their old landing site and then hand in hand walked the path where they had first met the flutter-dragons.It seemed long ago to her, and she thought back to that idyllic time, when although lost, time seemed to flow almost languidly.Now, a year later, they had already fought one major battle and it seemed they were about to fight another.**

**When they reached the rocky outcropping, which entombed the last Karturmese master, John immediately noticed two glowing pillars set solidly into the ground near the sealed entrance to the cave.Their light pulsed with a rhythm that was hypnotic if you stared at it long enough.He blinked and shook his head.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Five](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons5.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	5. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Five-**

**The Gate**

**Arandar stretched and rolled over, smiling as he watched his beloved's sleeping form.This was his day off, and he fully intended on making the best of it, even if all he did was stay in the house and enjoy Mooreelitha's company. With the new questing gate and the frightening possibility of an influx of more otherworldly abominations, he had been on duty for almost a full cycle without any days off.**

**_Of course_ , he thought wryly, _If his highness had not felt the need to put up the gate in the first place, then there would be no possibility of abominations arriving on our world.We could deal with finding the ones already here_.Arandar squelched the thought as unseemly, but it kept popping up in his head.He never could understand, from his boyhood on, why there was such a relentless urge to seek out and destroy the zanlings and their allies.Sighing, he brought his mind back to his sleeping wife.She stirred and turned over, her blue-violet eyes opening and staring into his.A bright smile lit her face. **

**"Oh, 'Dar, you'll never believe the incredible dream that I just had," she said."It was both fascinating and frightening.And it was so vivid."**

**"Well, what was it about, my love?Me?" he said with a laugh as he drew her close and enveloped her in his powerful arms.At slightly more than two krilicks of height, he was considered almost abnormally tall and his limbs were proportioned to match.It was very easy to embrace Mooreelitha, and he never lost an opportunity to do so.**

**Giggling in response, she murmured in his ear."No, not this time, beloved.I saw the Guardian."**

**Dar drew back in surprise."What did you say, 'Litha?"**

**"I'm pretty sure that was what I saw in my dream.It was a male from another world.He was very tall, three krilicks, if it is possible to believe that.And while in form and features he was similar to us, there were differences."She proceeded to give a description."And then there was the zanling.It was silver."**

**"Are you sure about what you saw?It was a dream you know." He was suddenly fearful.This talk of seeing things in a dream smacked awfully close to that which was considered abominable, and if this was noised about, then even Litha's relationship to the ruling house would not help her."Litha, don't breathe a word of this to anybody.Do you understand?In fact, sometimes I think the walls are listening.Just keep it to yourself."**

**Her eyes showed fright at the implication of what he was saying, and she nodded."After all this time, though, to have this person come to our world.What do you think will happen, Dar?Do you think the abominations-in-hiding will rise up and destroy us?"**

**"I think that your royal brother will do everything in his power to destroy the zanlings that come through and this guardian as well.You know what happened to the other zanlings that flew through the gate.Some escaped but many were shot from the air as they came through, and the fish-like creatures that followed...."He shook his head. "This has gone beyond self-preservation of our race," he whispered in her ear."It is hatred, phobia."**

**Dar slid out from under the coverlet and stretched his muscles."Enough of this depressing talk.It's my day off.Let's spend it near the beach," he declared.Rubbing his hand through his unruly long red hair, he looked at Litha and laughed with pleasure at the prospects of a peaceful day.She had reached for her brush and was working the knots and snarls out of her even longer red hair.**

**Climbing back on the bed, he took the brush from her hand and brushed the long tresses until they shone.He admired the smoothness of her skin and he took a moment to brush away her hair and kiss her neck."So beautiful, my dear," he murmured as he also kissed the pointed tips of her up-swept ears."I pity the other-worlders that have round or no ears.Yours are so beautiful."He kissed the other ear for good measure.She laughed and drew him close for a long kiss.**

**"Well, we had better hurry and get out of here before my dear brother decides that you are indispensable again," she commented wryly.**

**But just as she was packing a basket with various finger foods, a call came over the summons line.As the wife of an imperial guard and also as an imperial relative, she understood the need for such things, but she heartily wished at times that these devices, like the similar ones that earlier generations had owned, would break down and be discarded.Sighing, Litha called her beloved.**

**He came in, his hair only tied back loosely with a leather thong."By the Maker, can I not have one day?" he asked in exasperation.**

**"Guardsman Arandar speaking," he said formally into the microphone.**

**"Guardsman, you are to report to quadrant 224.5 immediately.There is a report of more zanlings and alien abominations.They are, at present, unaware of our scrutiny, so you are to proceed to station 69 and receive further orders.Under no circumstances are you to report to the vicinity of the gate.Acknowledge."**

**"Imperial Voice, this is my only day of leave in the whole cycle.Is it not possible for my second in command to report in my stead?"Dar knew that he was taking a great risk, but he was tired and wanted this day with his beloved.**

**The Voice responded coldly."You have been summoned by the Prince himself.This is not open to argument.Report, Guardsman."**

**"Acknowledged, your Eminence.I should be able to get there within two turns."He clicked off the line. _No_ , he thought sourly, _One doesn't argue with Prince Mizel, even if_ _that one is married to his older sister_.**

**Turning to Litha, he shrugged his shoulders."I am sorry, my dear.I wish we had left sooner, but I guess they would have tracked us down even at the beach.It must be important."**

**Litha kept her thoughts to herself, but she suspected that her dream and this important summons were linked.The Voice did say that zanlings had appeared and she suspected that one of them was silver in color.**

**====================**

**Will fixed a container with food and other necessities and tied it to the back of his jet pack, which he had brought to his tiny cabin.Despite what his parents said, he felt that he needed to follow them, help them.Next he set his alarm for a half hour before dawn and then crawled into bed.His green lizard, Nova, squeaked soothingly and curled up by his head, and soon both were sound asleep.**

**As Will drifted off to sleep, he was unaware of the slight sound coming from the cabin next door.Stealthily, Penny opened her door and peered into the common area.The lights were dim and the only noises she heard were those of several sleepers.She had waited until she heard no more sounds from her brother's cabin before venturing out.**

**Now with almost absolute quiet settling over the Jupiter II, she stealthily slipped into the galley and pulled some leftover foods from the refrigerator.It seemed woefully empty and she wondered remotely, who had come in for a midnight snack.Perhaps that was what Will was doing.Her four flutter-dragons, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy peered at her from on top of the unit.Peter rustled his wings and craned his neck to glance in the fridge with her.**

**_'Don't make a sound_!' she admonished them.Peter's head snapped up and the thought that came into her mind was astonishingly like that of a rebuke, as though she were questioning their intelligence.It was amazing to her how much more communicative they had become since bonding with them a year ago. **

****

**Next, she slipped into the cargo bay and pulled a small laser pistol from the arms cabinet, along with a holster.Then, with the lizards floating around her head, she exited through the cargo bay access door and disappeared into the night.When she had gone far enough from the Jupiter II to not be seen, she switched on the flashlight and proceeded on a natural path that led toward their old landing site.The lizards alternately flew ahead of her and behind her, making sure that all was well.**

**By dawn, Penny reckoned that she was more than halfway to their old site.**

**=======================**

**Just before dawn, Will was awakened by Don's shouting.Glancing at his chronometer, he noticed with chagrin that he should have set it for a half an hour earlier.Then he realized what Don was saying.Shutting the alarm off, he opened his door and looked directly into the worried countenance of the pilot."Did you say that Penny's gone?" he asked.**

**"Yes, and her lizards, too," he exclaimed.**

**"Bet she headed for our old site," Will surmised.**

**"Even I can figure that out," Don commented dryly."I can't believe this.Your mom and dad entrusted you two in my care, and the first night, Penny takes off.And they have the jet packs!"He sighed lustily and stared at Penny's open cabin door."I'm sorry for snapping at you, Will.I need to get dressed and take off after her, but I'm afraid that she's had too much of a head start on me."**

**"I have the jet pack that I built, Don, but I don't know if it's big enough for you to use."**

**Don looked at him with hope."Let me see it."**

**Sheepishly, Will went into his room and pulled it out.Don looked at him meaningfully, but didn't say anything for a moment.Jimmy and Nova chirped peevishly at each other.**

**"You're right, I don't think it'll take me for more than short hops."He rubbed his chin thoughtfully."Will, I know what's in your devious mind, but you have to listen and do exactly as I say."The boy nodded."I want you to take the jet pack and travel to our old landing site, looking for Penny on the way.Then I want you to keep her there until I can catch up in the chariot.I don't care what kind of compulsion you may feel or how much Penny might argue with you, I want you to do that for me."**

**"Okay, Don."Within a half hour Will was flying northward.Within an hour, Don had the chariot out of the cargo bay and was ready to follow.The Robot was secure in the back of the all-terrain vehicle, and all that remained were the farewells.**

**"I'm sorry to be leaving you like this, Judy, but this is the only way I know to get them both back," he said.**

**"Don, I have Max here to protect us.Don't worry, you just concentrate on getting Penny and Will back home," Judy told him and then gave him a farewell kiss."And you come home safe as well," she added.**

**"Take good care of my wife, Max," Don told the robot.**

**"That is also my function, Major West.To protect, and I will most assuredly do that," Max replied.They watched the chariot head northward, making the natural path a little wider.**

**=========================**

**Entranced by the effect of the gate, Maureen finally murmured, "That is powerful."**

**Silverado squeaked an inquiry."Yes, maybe that would be wise," John said.Maureen looked at him questioningly.**

**Explaining quickly to his wife, he then looked hard at the silver lizard and gave a command, _'All right, go through, reconnoiter, but don't stay too long_.'**

**Even as he spoke, the flutter-dragon zipped between the pillars and winked out of sight.The minutes stretched out long and then longer, and finally John sighed and sat down on a boulder.Maureen joined him, taking his hand."I'm sure he'll be back soon.It takes more than just a few minutes to check out a new place," she reassured him.John just nodded.**

**After what seemed an eternity, but was in reality only half an hour, Silverado returned, winking in as abruptly as he had left.Chirping, he conveyed what he had found.His main impressions were of heat and dryness, but there were forests and waterways, so in the lizard's mind it was acceptable.John laughed at that assessment and encouraged Silverado to continue.The first humanoids he had encountered seemed friendly, showing a little surprise at his presence, but no animosity.**

**"Well, we can leave the flight suits behind, I'm afraid we'd roast in them," John commented."But other than that, we might as well go.When we have reached our destination, we can send Maggie back to let Don and the others know that we're safe."**

**Within a few minutes, John and Maureen were ready, and hand in hand, they walked between the upright posts and out of the reality of Karturm.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Six](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons6.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fanfiction Page](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	6. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Six-**

**On the Other Side**

**There was a very brief disorientation and then John and Maureen found themselves standing between two pillars in a small clearing.The first thing John noticed was the heat; it had to be at least ninety degrees.The second thing he noticed was the position of the sun.When they had left Karturm, it was early afternoon; here it was almost sunset.**

**The two flutter-dragons flew off into the forest, squeaking in delight.The visions that came into his mind reminded him of a homecoming of sorts.And he wondered if Karturm was actually their planet of origin.John remembered Maureen mentioning once, some time ago, that the lizards didn't seem to totally fit into the ecological scheme of things.The term she used was anomaly.Maybe this was their home world.**

**"There's a difference in time, apparently," Maureen said, letting go of his hand and walking across the clearing."The heat takes some getting used to, but it can't be any worse than Priplanus, and at least there's more vegetation and water.Will we have enough time to accomplish anything before it gets too dark?Maybe we should go back and wait until morning here on this world."**

**John stared toward the setting sun, pondering.Her suggestion was tempting, but he didn't want to sleep under the compulsion that had been plaguing him without finding out something, no matter how small that fact might be. "No, not yet.Let's at least check in the near vicinity.Silverado mentioned humanoids that seemed friendly.Maybe they will be able to tell us something about the ssHreana that came through," he explained.**

**"I was hoping you might say that.I don't know if it's the emotions I'm feeling from Maggie or not, but I kind of like it here.It seems very friendly," Maureen told him.**

**John grabbed her in a tight embrace, his pensive mood having vanished."Ah, my dear, you are right," he said, laughing."It is a friendly place.Let me be the first to welcome you to this new world."And with that he kissed her.After a few moments, she reluctantly pulled away, laughing."This we can do in the dark.We only have a small amount of daylight left to check out our surroundings."**

**Looking toward one side of the clearing, John noticed a small stream.He walked over to it and noticed many webbed footprints, which he assumed belonged to Murreena's people."Let's follow this stream for a short distance.There's a path running along it, and we can always come back the same way if we don't find anything."**

**Most of the trees appeared to be deciduous with broad, light-green or silvery-gray leaves.The trunks had an almost shaggy appearance with rough, peeling bark.Silverado and Maggie floated between the tree trunks and around the prickly looking bushes and shrubs, squeaking merrily.As the sky began to darken, eerie shadows manifested themselves and tiny sparks floated among the foliage.**

**"John, those almost look like fireflies!" Maureen exclaimed, her eyes following those phosphorescent insects that were floating nearby.**

**"Yeah, but these bite," he said, slapping at his neck.John had been tempted to take off his outer shirt and wear only his tee shirt, but was now glad that he hadn't.Silverado and Maggie flew closer to them, and the hungry insects backed off.' _Thanks_ ,' he told them.By whatever means they were able to persuade insects to stay away, he was just grateful that they could.**

**Then he noticed motes of light in the stream."Look, Maureen, you're the biochemist, can you tell what those are?"**

**"Not in this light, but I could guess that they are some kind of fish.Look at the insects.Some of them are heading right towards the stream."Tiny splashes punctuated her remarks, and some of the phosphorescent insects suddenly disappeared."Well, now we know why the stream creatures have that ability, even if we don't know what they are," she added with a laugh.**

**"Guardian," a voice whispered from the other side of the stream.**

**Startled, John jerked his head up and peering intently in the direction of the sound, tried to see the speaker in the deepening twilight.It was an impossibility."Who are you?" he asked, reaching down and checking to make sure that the translator at his belt was turned on.**

**"I am called Bralin.I live a short way down this path in the home of my parents.We would be honored to have you stay with us this night, Guardian." The speaker stepped out from behind the foliage and John could vaguely make out a humanoid roughly a foot and a half shorter than himself.Silverado came streaking into the clearing and landed on John's shoulder.Maggie did the same with Maureen.**

**_'Fine scout you are.You didn't even warn me that we were being watched_.' John told the lizard testily.**

****

**_'Friend, hard to hear_ ,' was the puzzling reply and then a visual of a cozy, rustic home came into his mind.**

****

**_'Still, you could have warned us_ ,' John returned.Silverado chirped penitently. _'I accept your apology_ ,' John added with a chuckle.**

****

**"It is almost too dark to see the trail.Will you come?" Bralin asked.**

**"Silverado has testified to his good character, and I can't detect anything unfriendly in his thoughts," John told Maureen."We might as well accept his invitation."**

**"I'm not as good at this as you are, but I trust him, too.Let's go."Within a few minutes, Bralin had led them to the forest home that Silverado had telepathically shown him earlier.Two individuals were standing in the doorway, and they greeted them warmly.**

**"This is my father, Garroween and his beloved, my mother, Mreelon," Bralin said pointing to the waiting pair.**

**"Welcome, thrice welcome," Garroween said, beckoning them to enter.**

**"We appreciate your hospitality," John replied, ducking as he entered the house.Their hosts glanced in alarm at the translator as it interpreted the words for their guests.John unclipped it and held it up for them to see."This is a translator.It tells us what you are saying."**

**"Oh, you rely on words more than the thoughts?" Mreelon asked.John would have sworn that she looked slightly relieved when he gave an affirmative answer.Feeling that there was something more that he needed to know, he sought Silverado's help and tried to pick out a few of Garroween's and Mreelon's thoughts.**

**_'Abomination_?!' he thought in agitation.Thoughts and emotions from these people were hard to pick up, but still, John began to understand a little more about the gate and its keepers. **

****

**Maureen, sensing what John was doing, started bantering with the three, commenting on their house and asking about their planet.Then she asked about the ssHreana, and the emotional output of the three almost exploded in John's brain.He shielded their thoughts out immediately.Silverado squeaked and wrapped his tail more tightly around his companion's neck.**

**"I am not trying to do anything to hurt you, but some of our friends were drawn by your gate and we are worried about them.So I'm going to tell you right up front that I listened to some of your thoughts and feelings just now," John explained as gently as he could.**

**Even so, Garroween backed up in shock."So you are the Guardian," he stated simply.**

**"Guardian??"**

**"You do have a silver colored zanling, you can communicate in the manner considered abominable by our race and you are quite tall," Bralin stated."But come and sit down, have some comcreel.Your friends, the fish people enjoyed it, so it shouldn't hurt you."**

**"Garroween, my name is John Robinson and this is my wife, Maureen.We are here only to find our friends and figure out why this gate has been built on the other planet.It appears to be designed with the sole purpose of drawing telepaths to your world.I believe I understand the reason a little bit, but much of what I have learned confuses and alarms me," John said bluntly.**

**"Maureen is your beloved?" Mreelon asked.**

**Maureen smiled at the use of the word."What a nice term.Yes, I am John's 'beloved.' "**

**"You look much like us, except for the paleness of your skin and the shape of your ears, Guardian's beloved."Mreelon stated with a smile."Are you both of the same race?"**

**John pondered the question briefly and then realized that with only slight variations, the three people before him were almost identical in racial characteristics.All had red hair, blue-violet eyes, swept-up pointed ears and light olive-brown skin.And all appeared to be approximately four feet, eight inches to five feet in height."There are more drastic variations in my people than there appears to be in yours, Mreelon.I have a daughter whose hair is dark like mine and yet my other daughter's hair is lighter than my beloved's, a blonde color.Eye color varies as well."**

**"That is extremely interesting, Guardian," Garroween said with a smile.Bralin brought in two mugs filled with a cool spicy drink.**

**John took his and peered into it, wondering if it had anything that might be harmful to their systems.Silverado, standing on his shoulder, peered into the cup as well and then declared it to be fit for human consumption.John sipped the tart, cider-like drink, and looking over to Maureen, noticed that she had heard Silverado's declaration as well.**

**"This is very good, Garroween, but, please, my name is John.I am not this guardian that you seem to think I am.I am simply a human that had the good fortune to meet and bond with the ....what did you call them?Zanlings?"**

**"Whatever you say, Guardian," Garroween answered with an indulgent smile."And yes, the creatures like that one on your shoulder are called zanlings."John just sighed and sat back in his chair.**

**_'Dear heart, let's face it, you are destined to have many titles in your illustrious life_ ,' Maureen thought to him.Looking in her direction, he thought he detected a hint of laughter in her message.The twinkle in her eyes confirmed it.They both enjoyed the cool drink and the evening breezes that began to drift through the open windows of the little house.**

****

**"You seemed upset when I asked about our friends, the ssHreana.What has happened to them?" Maureen asked in the silence that followed.**

**"First let me explain something, Guardian's beloved.Our people have traditionally been fearful of those whose abilities included what you call telepathy.In our language it is called abomination.But also what has developed in just the last hundred revolutions is a feeling among many of the One Race, our people, that the persecution of those having the abomination is wrong.And that feeling intensified at the ascension of our most recent monarch, King Reezel, the Sanctified.Our king decided at his coronation that he was going to resume what his great-grandfather started those hundred revolutions ago.And that was to hunt down the abominations not only on our world, Krimlon, but also on any other worlds.**

**"He searched for and found hidden archives and repositories of old science, and with his ministers of Purity began testing these old devices and reading the old writings.That is when he found that many of the zanlings and their companions had disappeared to another world, using the science that he and his ministers had just discovered.Gates were set up based on the old writings.Apparently the latest gate that was set up near here linked to the world where the exiled zanlings were living." Garroween paused to take a sip from his own mug.John sat quiet, entranced by this story that though fascinating, was sad beyond measure.**

**"That would explain K'rthk'rnkl's repository of artifacts and devices in the cave on Karturm," John murmured.**

**"Did you say K'rt'rm?" Garroween asked."Very interesting.That is the word for 'exile' in our language."**

**"Bralin was harvesting the stickle nuts from our orchard when he saw a group of other-worlders staggering across the clearing between the house and the trees.They didn't speak, but the thoughts that they sent Bralin were those of death.They had to have water or they would die.Their skin was dry and cracked, and their eyes were sunken.The day had been particularly hot and dry.Bralin, although fearful of abomination, still led them to our pond.When we saw them come out of the water again, the change was astonishing.**

**"Bralin offered to lead them back to the gate so they could return to the other world.They were fearful of being brought back by compulsion once more, but accepted our offer of help.I think they were planning on destroying the other end of the gate when they returned."Garroween paused once more while Mreelon replenished the mugs with comcreel.John stared pensively into the mug, watching the spices swirl around, but saying nothing.**

**"They never came back through, Garroween.We found their spaceship empty except for their companions, who are also dying because they have been separated from their friends," Maureen finally said.**

**"No, Guardian's beloved, they never made it to the gate.When the sun set and Bralin scouted out the route back to the gate, he found some of the Prince's guardsmen nearby, thereby cutting off their escape that way.Instead, Bralin led them to a path that would take them to the Greel mountains and the Land of the Abominations.We don't know if they all made it or not."**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Seven](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons7.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	7. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Seven-**

**The Fire of Intolerance**

**"The only way I can think to rescue the ssHreana is for the Jupiter II to be able to come through the gate," John mused."The companions indicated that there were only a dozen and a half crew members on their ship.We should be able to carry that many back to Karturm, especially if the chariot is left behind."**

**"Can that be done, John?" Maureen asked.**

**"Yes, I believe so," he said."In theory, the physics of such an action is very possible.Garroween, do you have paper and pen or pencil?"Soon John was writing equations and accompanying them with brief notes.Mreelon brought in a tray with various foods arranged in colorful patterns and after passing it around to everybody else, set it down on the table where John was working.He glanced at it and then turned back to his work. The Krimlon watched in silence, too polite to interrupt with conversation.Finally when Maureen began dozing off in the chair, Mreelon led her to another room and a bed for her to sleep in.**

**Not too long after that, Garroween tapped John on the shoulder."Guardian, are you a scientist?"**

**"Yes, I'm an astro-physicist," John replied absently.**

**Garroween looked a bit blank at the human's pronouncement, but decided not to pursue the matter."Guardian, we are going to take our leave.Your beloved is sleeping in that room when you are finished."**

**John looked up and saw where the Krimlon was pointing."Thanks, Garroween, I appreciate your hospitality.And please stop calling me Guardian; my name is John."**

**Garroween just smiled and walked into his bedroom.John had already turned back to his work.Sometime during the early morning hours, he rewrote his notes and equations on another sheet of paper and looked at them in satisfaction.He felt that Will and the robot would be able to take what he had written and make the conversion to allow the Jupiter II to come through the gate to this world.**

**Yawning, he picked up the finished sheet and made his way to the guest room.He would clean up the rest of the papers in the morning. Lying down next to Maureen, he smiled at the sight of the two lizards, zanlings, he corrected himself, curled up next to her head.Soon he was asleep, his arm resting across her body.Silverado shifted position and in a minute was sleeping soundly against the back of John's neck.**

**Sometime later, as the first light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, a dark figure slipped into an open window and looked around, a tiny lantern giving minimal light.The figure was clothed in a plain gray jumpsuit, insignia on the sleeve the only marking.A helmet completely covered his head, making him appear bleak and menacing.His gloved hands picked up the papers left on the table and stuffed them inside a small pouch tied at his waist.Then the lurker silently moved around the room, looking, searching, but finding nothing else.Turning toward the window, he snatched some of the food that had been left and climbed back out the way he came.**

**======================**

**Will found Penny at the same time he saw the ssHreanna ship near the clearing that had once been their old home.Landing a few feet in front of her, he released Nova from his riding place inside his jacket and then unbuckled the jet pack.**

**"Oh, Will, you startled me.Did you come to join me?To see what's here?" his sister asked in eager anticipation.**

**"No, Don sent me.Although to be honest, I had planned on investigating that device anyway, but you kind of spoiled that by taking off last night."**

**"Oh," she said dejectedly."But, Will, it has to be something of great importance.The flutter-dragons want to go so badly."**

**"Nova does, too, but Penny, it could be dangerous.That's why Mom and Dad came, to check it out," he argued.**

**"I thought you said that you were coming to check it out, too.What makes you more capable of that than I, little brother?" she pointed out.**

**"I guess I just argued myself out of that one, didn't I?" Will said with a grin."But I promised Don and he's worried sick.He's afraid that something will happen to us while Mom and Dad are gone."**

**Sighing, Penny looked around her at the forest that had been home for nine months.It was so beautiful."I suppose you're right. And I wouldn't want Don and Judy to worry."**

**"Well, Don's coming in the chariot, so why don't we check out the spaceship that I saw when I landed."**

**"Spaceship?Oh, you mean the one that Mom saw coming in on her screen after we landed?You know that could be dangerous, too, Will," she said with a slight smile.**

**"Don made me promise to stop you from going to the device; he didn't say that we couldn't explore a little.Who knows, maybe we'll run across Mom and Dad," he mused.**

**After stowing the jet pack behind some bushes, the two teenagers followed a path that led directly to the abandoned spaceship.Standing near the clearing that the vehicle had made during its landing, they waited a minute, pondering their approach.Nova, Susan, Peter, Edmund, and Lucy swirled in the cool morning air in a tight formation reveling in the bright sunshine on their backs.**

**'Nova, can you tell if anyone is inside?' Will asked mentally.**

**Will got the impression of some kind of presence.Something sad."I think it's okay, Penny.Nova didn't feel anything harmful."**

**"There are beings in there, Will.And they're dying.We have to go in," she said mournfully.Quickly they walked up the ship's ramp and pressed a small panel to the side of the door.As soon as it had allowed them access, Will and Penny walked into the cool, narrow corridor.**

**Immediately, Will noticed his parents' jet packs inside the lock."Hey, Mom and Dad were here," he said.When he turned back to Penny, he saw her standing at one side of the corridor about twenty feet inside, looking at something on the wall.It was an ocean habitat.**

**"Oh, Will, these are the companions of the ssHreana and they're dying from separation.They're so lonely," she said, her voice choking. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Will saw delicate looking creatures floating in front of an observation window. "The ssHreana went through a teleportation gate and have never come back.That's the device that has been pulling us, especially me, Dad and the lizards."**

**_'You are children of John and Maureen_ ,' a soft whispery voice floated through their minds.It was a statement, not a question. _'Your parents were here during the last sun cycle.They told us they were going through the gate to find our companions_.'The voice became even more melancholy at the mention of the ssHreana.**

**_'If Mom and Dad said they were going to find your companions, then they will.What can we do for you in the meantime_?' Penny asked.**

****

**_'It is not good for you to follow your parents as you had both thought to.Instead, please be our temporary companions.We are so lonely._ '**

**_'How do we do that_?' Penny asked. _'And what is your name_?'**

****

**_'I am called shurWeesMurreena.Your father called me Wees.And if you just stay nearby until our companions return, we would be most grateful.We like to sing and paint with thoughts.It is soothing to our companions.Do you like music and art_?'Wees asked.**

****

**_'Yes, Wees, perhaps we can learn to sing and paint as you do.Maybe you can show us your world and we can show you ours,_ ' Penny told the ssReelen. _'Maybe we can help each other withstand the yearning for the gate._ '**

****

**_'Yes, Penny, that would be very good.We thank you_ ,' Wees whispered, gratitude flowing through her thoughts.**

****

**"I see a communications console.Let me contact Don first.Then I'll go out and get our stuff and bring it in," Will announced."I'm also going to find some of the fruit that was in season when we were here a year ago.You stay here with the ssReelen."Penny just nodded, deep in communication with the sea creatures.Her four lizards were perched on a railing, chirping encouragement to their aquatic counterparts.**

**========================**

**John rolled over, stretched and realized he was alone in the bed.Or almost alone, because as he opened his eyes, he looked into the golden ones of Silverado. _'Get up, fly_!' came the happy thoughts in his head.Laughing, he sat up and noticed with chagrin that he had slept much later than he had intended.A side room had a washbasin, with soap and a straight razor, and he used them to freshen up as best he could.Then dressing, he went into the common room where Maureen and the Krimlon were talking.**

**"About time you got up, lazy bones.How late did you stay up?" Maureen chided.**

**"I don't know.Time difference.Hey, that's it.Jet lag." He and Maureen laughed at his joke while their hosts just looked confused.He tried to explain jet lag, but felt that the family still only half understood what he was talking about, so he gave up.**

**"I want to send one of the lizards back to the Jupiter II with my notes.Do you think they would put up with something tied to them?" he asked Maureen.**

**"Already done.Silverado made it known to me what you had in mind, and I got your sheet of notes and tied them on Maggie so that she could fly without too much trouble.She left about a half an hour ago," Maureen explained."I also gave her a message to relay to everyone that we are safe and we will be searching for the ssHreana."**

**"Wonderful!You are an absolute queen," he said brightly."Then we should be able to set off shortly."**

**"So it is your wish to follow the trail of the fish people, Guardian?Garroween asked.**

**"Yes, it is.At least until we find out if they made it to the Land of Abominations safely.I'm not trying to be a pessimist, but it does no good to keep that gate open if the ssHreana didn't make it."Mreelon handed him a plate with something that looked a great deal like pancakes.A jam-like substance was spread on top, and a little pile of nuts was next to the pancakes.John attacked his breakfast with great enthusiasm, complimenting the cook profusely.Mreelon blushed with pleasure.**

**==========================**

**Dar arrived at the rendezvous point within the two turns promised and asked for an assessment.He noticed that two men were in large and menacing helmets, their features totally hidden.One of them took his helmet off and began his report.**

**"Guardsman, the two otherworlders and their zanlings slept at the home of the suspect, Garroween.These helmets allowed us to get close to the house and listen to the conversation of the abominations without them detecting our thoughts.They intend to bring some kind of large machine through the gate.It is for the rescue of the fish abominations.At present, the intentions of these two are to try and find the other abominations."**

**"Were these two abominations more of the fish people?" Dar asked.**

**"No, Guardsman, they are somewhat more like us.One is at least three krilicks tall with dark hair and brownish-blue eyes.The other is a little more than two krilicks tall and has hair and eye color closely matching ours. Both have pale skin and rounded ears, and both have zanlings. The shorter one is the tall one's beloved," the soldier reported.**

**"What is the word from the palace?" Dar asked a palace soldier who had the appearance of one who had motored half the night.**

**"We are to take the tall one, the one resembling the legends of the guardian, alive.The other abomination and Garroween's family, as well as the zanlings, can be destroyed as soon as the otherworlder is captured," the soldier stated matter-of-factly. "The prince specifically stated that you were to be on hand for the so-called guardian's capture, due to your prodigious strength and prowess in fighting.Prince Mizel wanted to take no chances on the seizure of this monster."**

**Although his face remained passive, Dar's mind worked furiously.This abomination was the same person that had been described by Litha earlier this morning.This was not the so-called guardian.This was the Guardian and he had been ordered to capture him."Very well, since we know the route that the otherworlders are taking, send four helmeted men to set up an ambush.I think the best way to do this is to use a net.Is there one available here in the supply house?"**

**"Yes, Guardsman."**

**"Then take it and set it up approximately a turn's distance from Garroween's house.I will follow with ten soldiers.We will have to take a chance on the distance at which these abominations and zanlings can hear our thoughts, but we can't be too far away when the trap is sprung," Dar explained.**

**"Yes, Guardsman, you are correct," a voice said softly behind him.**

**Dar pivoted and placed his fist against his chest. "My Prince.Your presence is a pleasant surprise."**

**"Maybe, maybe not, brother by marriage.But your plan is sound.And this abomination has told me the distance that we can safely be to keep from being detected by the zanlings," Mizel stated."It is fairly short."The one to whom Mizel was referring was one of the fish people, this one a pitiful and dehydrated shell of the creatures he had encountered as they had fled to the Land of the Abominations."Give it some water," Mizel ordered.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Eight](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons8.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	8. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
# Chapter Eight

**Capture**

**Will had stored his jet pack in the ssHreana spaceship and was gathering fruit when Nova alerted him to Maggie's return.As soon as the little lizard saw him, she flew down and landed on his shoulder.A sheet of paper was tied between her forelegs.Carefully, he untied it and opening it up, saw the notes that his father had written, along with a brief sentence from Mom.After studying it for a few minutes, Will felt great excitement building up inside him.He ran back into the alien vessel, dropping the fruit near the door.**

**"Penny, you'll never guess what Mom and Dad sent us!" he cried.**

**"Sent us?" she asked and then saw Maggie floating down the corridor behind him.**

**"Yeah, Dad wrote all kinds of equations, with instructions to use them to get through the gate with the Jupiter II."**

**"But why?" she asked.**

**"To rescue the ssHreana, who are trapped on the other world.Mom and Dad didn't have much room to give a lot of detail, but it seems that the people on that world are afraid of telepaths and hunt them down....."Will paused in his reading and looked at Penny with alarm in his eyes.**

**She returned his fearful look with one of her own."They are in danger, too," she stated simply.**

**"Yeah," he concurred, studying the note."But Dad says that there are people there who are willing to help, so we're not to worry."Will sat down in front of the communications console and contacted Don.**

**"You kids okay?" Don asked before Will could say anything."I think I'm about two hours away."**

**"Sure, we're fine. Dad sent a note with Maggie, telling us to make some modifications on the Jupiter II so that it can go through the teleportation device that was set up here.I'll have to explain all of the details when you get here."**

**"Sure thing, Will.Did your Dad say why?They aren't in trouble are they?"Concern colored the major's voice.**

**"No, they're not," Will told him.He heard Don's sigh of reliefon the speaker.**

**"I'll be there soon and then we can plan," Don answered.**

**As he broke the connection with Don, Will studied the sheet of paper, going over each equation step by step.He was sure that with the Robot's help he could make the modifications needed, and then they could all go through the gate.**

**=====================**

**"Garroween, Mreelon, I thank you for the hospitality that you have shown us.I know that it was a great risk that you took," John said sincerely as he and Maureen prepared to follow the route taken by the ssHreana the week before.**

**"Guardian, the route to peace is full of risks.I pray that your journey is safe and successful," Garroween said solemnly.**

**Mreelon handed Maureen a packet of what she presumed was lunch, and then she sketched a circular sign in the air."May the great whole encircle you both in its protection," she intoned.Maureen hugged her briefly, murmuring sincere thanks in her ear.Then they set out behind Bralin and were soon in the shadows of the forest.**

**John noted that the day promised to be another hot and dry one and was grateful for the extra canister of water that hung at his side.This time he was just wearing his tee shirt, but wished that he had brought a lighter weight pair of pants with him.Maureen had on a set of clothing that Mreelon had found for her.She had been astounded at the light feel of the cloth, which seemed to almost repel the heat.Morosely, John thought that his height had been advantageous in high school, but it certainly wasn't much help here. He shifted the backpack he was carrying until it was more comfortable, but already felt a dampness on his back where it was lying.**

**"Guardian, what is your world like?Are there many people living there?Do they all speak mind to mind?Does everyone fly in spaceship?"Bralin would have continued had John not stopped him.**

**"First of all, Bralin, my name is John, not guardian.And our world, Earth, is very beautiful, but like most worlds, it does have its problems, too.My people have taken it for granted for many years and there are places of ruin and ugliness.And yes, there are many people on Earth, about eight billion.That was one reason for my family and me having a spaceship.We are supposed to be colonizing another world," John laughed."We have been side-tracked.So, spaceships are not that common, and believe it or not, neither is telepathy.That is something that happened when we met the zanlings."Silverado raised his head from where it was resting on his shoulder and chirped sleepily.**

**"Tell me more about your family, Guardian.It amazes me that there is such diversity among members of the same family and the same race," Bralin stated.**

**"Please, don't call me Guardian," John said tersely.And then, "It amazes me that there is so little variation among your people."**

**Bralin was quiet for so long that John was afraid that he had ventured into a taboo subject.Silverado continued to look around a moment before laying his head back down.**

**"Bralin, would the lack of variation be because deviants are weeded out?"Maureen ventured.**

**The young man just looked more morose."For many years, those who were different were not allowed to take beloveds.If they did and produced offspring, they and the offspring were killed.It was said that in the days of our first ancestors there was a means to keep such different ones from having children.It is whispered that it still happens, especially in the ruling classes.Can you imagine the embarrassment of a royal relative that was deviant?"Bralin said sarcastically.**

**John and Maureen looked at him in shock."Sterilization," she said simply.**

**John shook his head and grunted."Worse atrocities have happened on Earth, but it's still shocking."**

**Silverado raised his head in alarm and squeaked loudly.A large weighted net fell across their shoulders and pinned them to the ground.Four helmeted Krimlon jumped from the trees and pointed weapons at them.John struggled to get the net off, but it was too heavy.**

**"Stay still, abominations, you will be freed shortly when the Prince arrives."**

**Bralin blanched.Silverado extricated himself from the netting and was tugging at it.One of their captors reached for him. _'Silverado, go, get away!Hide and watch!Now_!!'John told him. Reluctantly, the zanling flew into the forest and hid, watching, waiting.John could feel his presence nearby.**

**Maureen leaned down and shut off her translator.Following her lead, he did the same.Then she reached for his hand and squeezed it."Why weren't we able to detect their presence?Even Silverado had no warning until the net fell."**

**"I think the helmets they're wearing have some kind of shielding power.I can't feel any of their thoughts right now," John explained.**

**One of the soldier's weapons prodded him.John switched the translator back on. "Speak in our language, abomination or keep quiet."**

**Silverado's warning caused him to turn and look behind him.A loud roaring sound preceded the arrival of a very large and bulky motorized vehicle.It pulled up near them and stopped, belching dark smoke as it was shut off.It resembled slightly the old two and a half ton Army trucks that were used from World War II until the beginning of the new century.Six soldiers jumped out of it, and Prince Mizel was announced sonorously as a soldier opened the passenger door and helped a young well-dressed Krimlon out.Another soldier handed him a long rod-like scepter, which he nonchalantly accepted.**

**"Take the net off the abominations," the prince ordered.He was promptly obeyed and the three prisoners were able to stand and face their captors.Bralin looked positively terrified.John tried to pick up Mizel's thoughts but was only able to get just enough to cause him to want to know more.**

****

**_'Silverado, help me focus on Prince Mizel.I need to understand what he's thinking_ ,' John thought to the hidden lizard.As he eavesdropped, a cold rage settled into his heart, and he felt the desire to have this ice-hearted monster within reach of his hands. It was no wonder that Bralin was terrified.He heard Maureen and Bralin gasp, and he came back to the physical world.Two soldiers had dragged an hysterical Mreelon and struggling Garroween from the back of the truck, along with two dehydrated-looking ssHreana.**

**"Why have we been assaulted in this manner?" John thundered."We came peacefully into your world."He was desperately trying to think of a way out of this predicament. _'ssHreana, who are you_?'he thought at the same time.**

**_'We are among the weakest of our race.I am Brashiin and this is my mate, Oanir.We are sorry for having betrayed you, Lord Commander_.'The voice was weak and whispery, and full of contrition. _'We are so ashamed_.'**

****

**"How dare you speak to me in that tone, Abomination.You will not speak unless I tell you to.Do you understand me?" Mizel cried out in rage.**

**John just stood with his arms crossed, not deigning to answer the belligerent monarch. His eyes took in a count of soldiers.There were a dozen, not counting Prince Mizel.Somehow John didn't think that in a fight, his royal highness would amount to much.**

**To the ssHreana he telepathically replied, _'That is neither here nor there, Brashiin, whatever you were compelled to do was under duress and is over.I will try to create a diversion.At that time I want you and your mate to make sure that my mate and these captive Krimlon reach the teleportation gate_.'**

**"Answer me, you freak.I am the Prince."**

**_'We are weak.I do not know how far we can go_ ,' Oanir told him.**

****

**"I understand you.In fact I would understand you even better if you weren't screaming," he commented calmly to the prince, even though inside he was seething at the brutality of this Krimlon.**

**One of the guards hit him in the diaphragm with a short staff, doubling him over."You will address the Prince with respect."**

**"When he deserves it," John replied when he had recovered enough to do so.**

**_'Brashiin, Oanir, you must all help each other.You now know what this maniac's thoughts are.To live, you have to help each other to the gate, where the rest of my people will be able to help you_ ,' John admonished them.**

**_'Yes, we know now.I deluded myself that he would let my mate go free. Yes, we will do our best_ ,' Brashiin promised.**

****

**Mizel looked a bit smug."What is that thing that the sounds are coming out of?"**

**"It is a translating device to help me understand your people since I don't know your language," John explained. _'Silverado, help me focus.I need to make sure that Maureen hears me_.'**

**"So the mighty Guardian does not even know our language," Mizel gloated and laughed.Several of the soldiers nervously laughed with him.**

**_'Mo, listen to me.I think I can goad this pompous jackass into doing something stupid.When I have created a diversion I want you to take the ssHreana and Garroween and his family to the gate.Get them to safety.I have told the ssHreana to help you as well.'_**

**_'John, I can't leave you, not this time_ ,' her thoughts were vehement. **

****

**_'Maureen, they want me alive.They have plans to kill the rest of you.Silverado helped me read Mizel's thoughts.He is going to kill you!!I won't let that happen.I want you to get away. I'll be able to escape later and rejoin you,_ ' he told her forcefully.**

**_'Are you sure, John_?'**

****

**_'Yes. And you did promise to obey my orders if it ever came to something like this.It has._ '**

****

**_'All right, John_.' Her whispery thoughts were full of sadness.**

****

**"We will see how mighty you are, Guardian, without your precious zanling, your abominable powers and your friends," Mizel gloated, stepping up to John and shaking the scepter in his face.Turning slightly, he queried, "Where is his zanling?"**

**That was when John saw his opportunity.Pushing Maureen away from him, he reached forward, grabbed the rod from Mizel's hand and shoved the prince into several of his soldiers.Pivoting around, he quickly used the rod of office to knock the projectile weapons away from the closest guards. _'Maureen run!!Now!!_ ' he ordered. **  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Nine](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons9.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fanfiction Page](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	9. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Nine-**

**Captivity**

**She stared at him in shock.Brashiin grabbed her by the arm, but she shook him off.**

**_'Go, now! Maureen, get back to the kids. GO_!'Finally, she turned and saying a couple of words to Garroween, ran into the forest, the other captives following.John had been keeping himself between the guards with rifles and the prince, who was shouting at them not to shoot.**

**When he realized that Maureen had finally left the clearing, John almost sighed in relief, but his attackers gave him no time for celebration.Two guards with mace-like weapons attacked from each side simultaneously.At the last minute John jumped backwards, bringing the rod down on the head of one of the soldiers and then immediately knocking the other one to the ground with a blow to his midsection.Hearing someone behind him, John leaped forward in a rolling somersault that brought him near another assailant.The last thing that soldier was conscious of was an elbow in his face.**

**"Stop him, you fools!He's just one man.I'll have all your heads!!Stop him, but don't kill him!" Mizel kept screaming.**

**He felt Maureen's presence and realized that she was still waiting nearby. _'Maureen, I ordered you to go_ _!_ _Do it_ _!!_ _Silverado, go with Maureen.Go back to the ship. I will come later._ '**

**_'John, I love you_ ,' her thoughts floated softly and sadly in his mind.**

****

**Changing his balance to his left foot, John hit another soldier in the chest with his right foot, but was caught glancingly in the ribs with the butt of a rifle before he could regain total balance.The pain was sharp, but brief, and the professor swung his whole body around, catching his attacker in the jaw with his fist.Another soldier behind him was the recipient of the sole of John's foot in his stomach.The Krimlon fell to the ground gasping.**

**John felt himself tiring, but knew that Maureen and the others needed more time.He realized that if he could get to the prince and hold him hostage, he could not only give the escapees the time they needed, but perhaps provide for his own escape as well.Two guards stood in his way. One was quickly taken care of with several quick blows from the rod.The other soldier, a relatively tall one, had a staff similar in size to the one that he held.Planting the end of his rod into the ground, John placed his hands up high and holding on tightly, used it as a lever to spring high enough to hit the soldier in the chest with both feet.His opponent grunted in surprise and pain as he fell to the ground.**

**John then raced toward Mizel, who, realizing his danger, started shouting for help.The professor had almost reached him when something hit his ankles, causing him to fall.Immediately, a soldier threw a muscular arm around his neck, choking him.Before he could throw him off, several other Krimlon grabbed his arms and legs.**

**===================**

**Will wiped the sweat from his eyes.In just the two hours that he had been under the linear drive control panel, he had developed a new appreciation for all of the work that his dad and Don had done on the various systems in the Jupiter II.**

**Earlier in the day, even as Don had driven the chariot into the clearing, Will was already strapping on his jet pack."Whoa, are you in a hurry?We can go back together in the chariot and bring the Jupiter II here in the morning," Don had told him.**

**"No, Don.For some reason I think we need to bring the Jupiter II here as soon as possible and get started on the modifications.And besides, Penny promised the ssReelen that she would stay with them, so she can't go back in the chariot," Will explained quickly."I can go in the jet pack, and Judy and I can pilot the ship here before dark."**

**"ssReelen?" the pilot asked.Will hastily explained."Oh, you're right.We can't very well leave Penny here with that gate still operating.Except you and the Robot are going to stay here, and I'll take a jet pack and get the Jupiter II."Will nodded and then had spent the next six hours discussing his dad's equations with the Robot.They continued even after the Jupiter II landed in the clearing.**

**"Will Robinson, we will need to go to the teleportation device to take readings and set up a frequency modulation schematic," the Robot interrupted his reverie.Nova was sitting on top of his plasticene dome top, squeaking encouragement.**

**"Oh, sure, but can you do that in the dark?"**

**"I can take the readings in the dark.And you can take a flashlight," the Robot explained."Unless you would rather stop for today and resume the work tomorrow."**

**"No, let's go ahead and do that tonight.We can check on Penny on the way back," Will said.**

**"Very well," the Robot agreed.Nova flew from his perch on the Robot to a position on the boy's shoulder.**

**"Be careful, Will," Don said from under a different console.**

**"We will, Don," he said as they walked down the ramp.**

**=========================**

**As he tightened his chokehold on the Guardian, Dar couldn't help but be incredulous at this alien's fighting ability.Glancing around, he saw eight men, either unconscious or incapacitated on the ground.He wished that he could have the Guardian show him how to fight with his feet like that.**

**Prince Mizel composed himself, picked up his staff and walked over to the prisoner.Prodding him with it, he commanded, "Get up, monster."Dar had to release his hold on the captive as he stood up, but still, he brought the man's arms behind him and tied them tightly.Snatching his short staff from the ground where he had thrown it at the alien's feet, the guard held it ready to trip the Guardian again if he tried to escape. The captive stood quietly, dignified, seemingly well composed, gazing down at Mizel with total comtempt.Dar’s estimation of this man grew several more degrees.**

**"Is your translating device still working, Abomination?"Mizel demanded.**

**"Yes, and my name is John Robinson," came the response.Dar was astonished to see a slight smile cross the prisoner's face.**

**"Good, because I want you to know that your puny victory in helping your friends escape is only temporary.Eventually, my father and I will hunt down and destroy all abominations, including that freak that I assume is your beloved," Mizel sneered.Dar laid his staff across the Guardian's chest when he saw the alien's eyes blaze with fury.**

**"You will regret this attack against us, and you will doubly regret those words, Mizel," the Guardian hissed through clenched teeth.Glancing down at the staff held tightly against his chest, the prisoner looked directly into Dar's eyes.Dar shuddered as he felt emotions flow from the mind of his prisoner into his own, but he felt a sense of empathy as well.**

**"Bring the restraining device," Mizel ordered.One of the soldiers brought out what appeared to be a decorated headband."Hold him down." Two soldiers tried to jerk the prisoner to his knees, but the alien struggled and Dar had to hit him behind the knees with his staff.When that caused the Guardian's legs to buckle, he slid his arm back around the tall man's neck and restrained him while Mizel snapped the headband on.Dar felt a deep sense of revulsion as he watched the device constrict slightly to fit the Guardian's head.A small amount of blood trickled down each side of the Guardian’s face, attesting to the success of the device.Mizel laughed evilly."Release him.Untie his bonds."**

**As he followed the prince’s orders, Dar noticed a look of confusion in the Guardian's eyes, and then a spasm of pain crossed his features.There was shock and some fear, along with anger.As the Guardian reached up to take the headband off, another, more intense spasm crossed his face and he jerked his hands away.He shook his head and then looked up into Mizel’s eyes.The fear was suppressed, determination seemingly holding sway for the moment.**

**Mizel held up a small box with dials and buttons."Yes, I was told that you were intelligent.Now understand that this box controls the band around your head.As you have already found out, it also prevents you from practicing your abominable arts.The people will get their Guardian, but not the one they were expecting."He reached over and unhooked the translator from the Guardian's belt.The captive tried to grab the prince, but Mizel was ready for such a move and pushed a button on the box.With a scream attesting to the intense power of the device, the Guardian slid to the ground, unconscious.Dar’s stomach churned to see the prisoner’s muscles jump and twitch.**

**=========================**

**Garroween tugged at her shirt, but still Maureen resisted, hoping that John would escape and join them.Only when he ordered her away again did she realize that he would not be coming with them now.Brashiin gestured for her to hurry, but it was hard to see through her tears.Hard to leave John behind.With that maniac.Alone.Silverado flew beside her, chirping mournfully.A distant scream elicited a moan and more tears from her.John had been hurt.She turned to go back.**

**“Guardian’s beloved.Be assured that the Guardian is still alive.The prince will not kill him.”Garroween tugged at her again.“We must do what the Guardian instructed.”With a sigh, Maureen complied.**

**They finally reached a stream and she caught her breath while the ssHreana tried to rejuvenate themselves in the meager flow of water."We can't stay long," Garroween pointed out the obvious."We have to find a place to hide where the princes' men won't find us."**

**"John said for all of us to go through the gate.Once through, we'll be safe," she told the Krimlon, who looked at her fearfully."It will be safe.There is no one on Karturm who will hurt you."**

**Mreelon looked at her beloved and nodded."I don't believe that we have a choice."Garroween and Bralin finally agreed.**

**Brashiin and Oanir finally emerged from the stream, the water running in sheets down their smooth skins.Maureen could see improvement, but they would need much more."Bralin, is this the same stream that ran near the gate?"**

**"Yes, Guardian's beloved, it is," the young man answered.**

**"Then we should follow it.That way, Brashiin and Oanir can replenish themselves whenever they need to.It's already a hot day and will probably get hotter."The ssHreana looked at her gratefully as they started on their journey once again.**

**During another rest period, Maureen sat staring into the trees, in actuality seeing John fighting off the princes' men."Garroween, what did John mean when he told me that Mizel wanted him alive and us dead?"**

**"Mizel may be fanatic, but he's not stupid.The Prince recognizes in your beloved the same thing that we did, that he is the Guardian," Garroween replied.**

**"What is this thing about the Guardian?" she asked.**

**"It is a legend.When our first ancestors settled this area, they systematically hunted down and destroyed all abominations in the region.After several hundred years of this hunting, there began a movement among some of our people to reconcile with the others, those having the abomination.There was one named Borkrox who was the leader of the movement.He went to the Land of the Abominations and talked with the zanlings and their relatives.The king of the zanlings, a large silvery creature agreed to a meeting between his kind and the Krimlon.**

**"Unfortunately the sovereign then was just as fanatical as the ones we have now.When Borkrox, the zanling leader and several others sympathetic to the cause showed up for the meeting, they were ambushed and killed with no mercy.It was reported by one of the assassins that the zanling leader made a prophecy before he died.It was said that there would come a Guardian in later years, someone from another place. This Guardian would be one different from us, tall, accompanied by a silver zanling and possessed of the abomination. And he would bring about a time of reconciliation.That has been passed down for the past six hundred years.Your beloved fits the description."The ssHreana approached from the stream."Mizel is afraid of that, but will not kill the Guardian, because he is more afraid that a martyr would be even more dangerous."**

**‘ _We must go.The zanling reports seeing some of the soldiers following_ ,' Brashiin reported.**

**Several hours before sunset, the hot and tired group approached the gate.As the ssHreana went through, Maureen hesitated.When she went through, she would be leaving John on another world, in the hands of enemies.Looking back, she resolved that she would be back, soon.Then she and the Krimlon walked through and into the night of Karturm where they met an astonished Will and the Robot.**

**"Mom!" Will shouted and gave her a fierce hug."We saw the two ssHreana come through and figured that you had to be close behind.Shining the flashlight behind her, he only saw strangers."Mom, where's Dad?"**

**"Your dad was captured, Will.We had to leave without him, but I'm going back.Soon,” she said softly, but with a determined edge in her voice.**

**"I'm going with you, Mom."**

**"No, Will, you and the Robot have to continue working on your father's equations.That's imperative now. We have to have the Jupiter II on the other side of the gate to not only find the other ssHreana, but also your father," she stated.Will nodded glumly.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Ten](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons10.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	10. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Ten-**

**Friends in Low Places**

**John woke up feeling a cold stone floor beneath his back and an intense throbbing in his head.Reaching up, he touched the headband and felt the pulsing bio-electric shock as the device's defensive mechanisms kicked in.Immediately, he pulled his hand away.Looking up, the professor saw a dour-faced guard watching him, the control box hanging from his waist.Seeing that he was awake, the Krimlon said something to him, but John was unable to understand what he said and could only pick up fleeting emotions from the man's thoughts.**

**Stiff, John started getting up but stopped when he saw his guard reach for the control box.Vaguely, painfully, he remembered bouts of surging electrical pain, so he quickly slid back down and sat with his back to the wall, watching his captor.In relief, he saw the man take his hand away from the device. _How long have I been here?_ John thought dourly.He rubbed the thick stubble on his chin and realized that he had spent at least a night and part of another day as a prisoner of Prince Mizel.He was abominably thirsty, and signed his need to the guard.Laughing, the man said something and his tenuous thoughts indicated that John had missed his chance for the day.**

**Shrugging, he decided to follow the advice of an old college professor and analyze the situation.Apparently Mizel was terrified of him, but was more afraid of him dying than being alive to escape and cause trouble.This caused him to believe that the sentiments of Garroween and his family were not isolated.Mizel was afraid of insurrection and wanted to break the symbol of his opposition, namely the Guardian, him.Sighing, John realized that once again he was in the middle of a political quagmire, and just as before, he was being used as a pawn.**

**Unconsciously, he again brought his hand to his head trying to adjust the uncomfortable thing.The quick jolt seemed slightly weaker, or else he was adjusting to the discomfort.Nevertheless, he jerked his hand away.He heard the guard laughing and glared at him for a moment.The headband, John realized, was a totally different situation.He couldn't escape, even if there was no guard, because all anyone had to do was turn one of those dials or push a button, and he would be on the floor, convulsed with currents of electrical energy.**

**Of course, he might be able to get the box away from the guard, and then he could destroy it.Then, even though the headband would still be in place, he would be free to escape and seek help in getting the heinous thing off.With this thought, he realized that he would have to bide his time.And even though captivity chafed terribly, he would have to be patient.The squeaking of the door brought him out of his reverie, and he watched a tall guard come in his cell, take the box from the other guard and sit down casually.After a few words, the first guard left, and John and the tall guard looked at each other for a while.He realized that this was the same guard who had been instrumental in his capture.Finally, John sighed, licked his dry lips and slumped back against the wall, trying to doze off.**

**A tapping on his shoulder brought him out of his half-sleep.The Krimlon had left the device on his chair and was kneeling in front of him, a water container in his hand.John was puzzled and pointing to the container, tapped his chest, wondering if the guard was offering it to him or merely trying to taunt him.The guard held it toward him, and no further urging was necessary.As the cool liquid slid down his throat, John felt refreshed, but he couldn't help but wonder what this man's motives were.**

**When he finished, John handed the container back to the soldier, who then offered him some food.It looked very much like a sandwich and not realizing until then how hungry he was, he took it.As he ate, he noticed a slight smile on the guard's face.John nodded his thanks and the guard pointed to himself, saying the word "Arandar."**

**"Arandar?" John repeated, pointing to the Krimlon.The guard nodded.The professor pointed to himself, "John Robinson."**

**Arandar pointed his finger at him and said a word that John recognized as 'guardian.'Shaking his head, he repeated his name.Arandar again called him Guardian.The professor scowled and the guard laughed.And suddenly John realized that he had a friend among the enemy.What few emotions he could pick up, plus the man's actions pointed inexorably in that direction.**

**Smiling, John used signs to tell Arandar that he wanted to learn his language.The guard nodded in understanding and immediately began teaching him.It was a great help that some of Arandar's thoughts came into his head, especially when he was trying to teach him something abstract that couldn't easily be signed or pointed to.By the time Arandar's shift was almost ended, John could make some basic things understood.**

**Using gestures, John attempted to express his gratitude to the guard for helping him.Arandar looked blankly at him and then said,"Guardian, I do not understand." He also shook his head to emphasize what he was saying.**

**Forgetting himself, John began to send a mental image that would illustrate what he was trying to say.A sharp jolt from the headband brought instant remembrance.It was quickly over, but John mentally kicked himself for his lapse, even as the pain was subsiding.**

**"Guardian, are you . . . hurt?"Dar asked him.**

**"No, I am . . . not hurt," he said haltingly."Arandar, my name is John, not Guardian.”John was tired of having others' high expectations pushed on him.That was the main reason that he was in this predicament, and it irritated him.He sighed and calmed down, realizing that it wasn't Arandar's fault.**

**Dar smiled.He didn't know why he didn't give the Guardian his friend's name from the outset.Holding his hands up, he held them apart, "Arandar."Bringing them together, "Dar."**

**"Dar."John pointed to the guard.Dar nodded vigorously.The professor made the same gesture, hands wide apart."John Robinson."Bringing them together, "John."He smiled broadly, and added with great emphasis,"Not Guardian."**

**Dar laughed softly.It was near the end of his shift and the beginning of morning.It wouldn't do to have his new friendship reported to his illustrious brother-in-law."Guardian," he said simply.**

**John rolled his eyes and sighed lustily.Understanding that this was a dangerous time of the day for both of them, he tried to make himself as comfortable as he could against the wall.Then he thought of something.Looking around, but seeing nothing to help him, John undid his belt and slid it off.Using the buckle, he scratched a mark on the wall.Calmly he replaced it and lay down on his side, trying to get as comfortable as he could with the abominable headband.**

**========================**

**Maureen was gratified to see Brashiin and Oanir looking refreshed and healthy in their ship's habitat, but she didn't stay to watch them frolic with their companions."Penny, I'm going back to the ship.There are some things that I need to do before I return to Krimlon."**

**"Is there anything I can do?Let me go with you and help you find Dad."**

**"No, sweetheart, although I appreciate the offer.You can help Brashiin and Oanir with the ssReelen.Hopefully, Will and the robot will be able to finish making the changes soon and the rest of you can go through the gate in the Jupiter II."**

**"Guardian's beloved, we, too, wish to help you in your quest.What would you like us to do?"Garroween asked.They had been quietly watching everything around them in rapt interest.**

**"Well, for the moment, information will be the most helpful.Then I'll be able to make more viable plans," she told them."Now you get to see what our spaceship looks like."**

**Maureen walked up the ramp where Judy was working on the flight control systems."Oh, Mom," Judy cried softly."I wish there was something we could do right now."**

**"I wish there was, too, but I think that patience and planning is the key right now."She introduced her oldest to the Krimlon.**

**Mreelon's eyes shifted to the playpen where Mark was making soft sounds and happily watching his shimmering green flutter-dragon walking along the edge."Oh, Guardian's daughter, is this your child?"Judy nodded."He is beautiful."Judy beamed with pride.**

**Maureen had a sudden insight.Turning to her Krimlon guests, she asked,"Are you familiar with robots?"They shook their heads."Well, you are about to meet one, so don't be too surprised.Let's go below."When they reached the cargo bay, she called out for the martial arts robot.**

**"I am here, Mrs. Robinson.I am very glad to see that you have returned safely.But where is Professor Robinson?" he asked.**

**Maureen explained the past day's event quickly and then introduced Garroween and his family to the robot.Max politely bowed and expressed his regret at the professor's plight.Maggie flew from the arboretum and squeaked sadly at Silverado, who was perched on Maureen's shoulder in an attitude of total dejection. The silver lizard flew over to Max and clutched onto his shoulder. _'We'll find him, Silverado_ ,' Maureen assured him. **

**"Max, do you think that I could learn to use the long-staff?John once said that it was the perfect all-purpose weapon and could be easily mastered by a person of any size," Maureen asked."I have been trained in some defensive martial arts, but haven't practiced in some time."**

**"I suspect that you are going to go back to the other planet as soon as possible, but I can help you develop some basic skills before you go," Max told her.**

**"That isn't all.I want you to accompany me.You have a natural walk, and if you are covered with clothing, you should be able to fool anyone at a distance.And I think you would be a great asset in my quest to find John," she explained.**

**"I would be able to protect you as well, Mrs. Robinson," he added.**

**"Guardian's beloved, you already look somewhat like us, and the metal man could wear the shroud of an Outer Circle pilgrim," Mreelon suggested as she craned her neck, trying to see everything in the cargo bay.Maureen noticed that Bralin and Garroween's eyes were as big as saucers at the sights surrounding them.**

**"Would you help me do that?"Maureen asked."Darkening my skin would be the easy part.My daughter studied theater before we left Earth and could probably help with the ears and my eye color."**

**"If you could do that, then it would be very difficult to tell that you were not one of us.You are only slighter taller than the norm, and that deviation would not be noticed as much," Bralin commented.**

**"When would you like to begin your lessons, Mrs. Robinson?" Max asked, during a pause in the conversation.**

**"A little later, Max."**

**"I will be ready, ma'am."**

**"Maureen, I can take a laser rifle and go back now," Don said as he joined them in the cargo bay."Will told me what happened."**

**"No, Don, you're needed here to pilot the ship when it's ready to go through the gate.Max and I are going back as soon as we can," she said with a finality that harbored no argument.**

**"I don't like it, Maureen," Don protested.**

**"I don't like it either, Don, but there is no other solution at this point.I do know that John will be fairly safe for now, and I think that rushing into this would be disastrous," Maureen explained."How are the modifications going?Will was a bit distracted; I felt as though I was interrupting his train of thought."**

**"Will has been working on this ever since he intercepted Maggie with John's message.The only problem that we may have is parts, but he and the robot should be able to get some from the ssHreana ship," Don reported."They mentioned something interesting, though, and that was the possibility of doing the same thing with the other ship and taking it through as well."**

**"Yes, two ships would definitely be much better.And the ssHreana wouldn't be water-deprived during the trip back here," she mused.**

**"Excuse me, Guardian's beloved, but there is something of which you need to be aware," Bralin interjected.**

**Maureen apologized to the Krimlon and introduced them to Don."What am I forgetting?" she asked.**

**"The Prince's men are now aware of the fact that we went through the gate.I suspect that Prince Mizel will be very frightened of an invasion.With motorized vehicles or tilons it will probably take two to three days for the soldiers to get to the palace with their report and return to dismantle the gate on our planet's side.I may be wrong, but that would make this end of the gate useless, would it not?" Bralin asked.**

**Maureen blanched."Oh, good Lord, yes, and John would be stranded forever.Don, Max and I must return and somehow stop the dismantling of that gate."**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Eleven](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons11.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	11. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Eleven-**

**Taking Care of the Gate**

**Don saw the tears begin to fill Maureen's eyes, and he hastened to propose an idea that just occurred to him. "Well, they wouldn't have a gate to dismantle if someone else had already taken it down and hidden it, would they?" Don asked with a slight smile."Now I might be naive, but the gate on this end didn't look to be that hard to take out of the ground and carry away, especially by a strong robot like Max."**

**Maureen walked over and gave Don a kiss on the cheek.He blushed slightly."Thank you, Don," she said fervently."Yes, you have given me hope."**

**"Guardian's beloved, I will accompany you back to our world as well," Bralin said."You will need the help of one who is familiar with the countryside and our customs."Garroween started to say something, but Bralin cut him off."Father, I would feel better if you stayed with our friends.If they say that they will come back to our world in this wondrous vehicle, then I believe them.I was horrified when I saw the soldiers drag you out of the transport.I don't want to see that happen again."**

**"You are welcome to stay with us," Don told the older couple.They finally nodded.**

**The next twenty-four hours was a blur for Maureen.Judy worked with her in replicating the parts needed for a disguise, Mreelon and Bralin gave her intensive language instruction and Max began helping her to improve her fighting skills.**

**"Mrs. Robinson, lead with your left foot in this manner," he instructed.She backed off and examined what she had done wrong.He patiently showed her and she tried again. "Very good, Mrs. Robinson," he told her when she had succeeded.**

**"Thank you, Max."She then tried an offensive attack, and she and Max parried blows for quite some time.Maureen was pleased to notice that she was beginning to lead with either foot, changing her balance at will.Finally calling a halt, she grabbed a towel from the floor and threw it around her neck.**

**"That was much better.When are you planning on leaving for Krimlon?"**

**"Tomorrow afternoon.It will be dark there and we should still have time before anyone gets to the gate to destroy it," Maureen answered.**

**"Yes, ma'am," Max acknowledged and took both staves to their storage place.**

**"Wow, Mom, that was quite impressive," Judy said.She was standing at the door to the living quarters, Mark in her arms, his little flutter-dragon flying loop the loops above their heads."I think that Mreelon and I have what we need to make you a very nice disguise whenever you're ready."**

**"Thanks, dear.I need to check with Will and the Robot on their progress."Several more flutter-dragons joined in the joyous dance, and Maureen paused long enough to watch them and feel their joy.Absent, however, was Silverado.He remained on his perch in the arboretum, and Maureen felt and understood his melancholy.**

**==================**

**"Robot, how are your readings now?"Will asked for the tenth time in that many minutes.**

**"They are the same, Will Robinson.Let me scan the equations one more time.I deduce that we are missing something simple, and once we figure it out, the process will go much faster.I also believe that we will need a relay modulator that we do not have.We need to ask the ssHreana if they have such a device.It will be much better than trying to make one."Will handed Robot the sheet with Dad's figures and the automaton held it in one of his pincer claws and scanned it.**

**"It is as I thought.The figure for the gate frequency should be -10th power instead of plus 10th power.The paper was wrinkled and smudged," the robot intoned.**

**Will made the change and then looked at the readings.A bright smile broke out on his face."Yes!That did it.Great work, Robot."**

**"Thank you, Will Robinson.Now let us make sure that all of the other data in the computer is correct, and then we can find a relay modulator."**

**"Having success, son?"Maureen asked as she exited the elevator.**

**"Oh, hi, Mom.I think we have everything in the computer that we need to tap the power of the gate and jump to Krimlon.We just need to get all the parts to actually do it," Will told her."I still wish I could go with you."**

**"I know, Will, but you and the Robot have to get the Jupiter II ready for that jump.And the ssHreana ship as well if you can," she explained."But I appreciate your offer."She paused and smiled."Of, course, you realize I would say no anyway."**

**"Yes, Mom.But you know I'm not a kid anymore."**

**Maureen walked over to her youngest child and put her hand on his shoulder.She looked lovingly into his eyes, and discerned the same fierce determination that she saw when she looked into John's eyes.Fighting back emotion, she realized that he was so very much like John, and she also realized that Will was right.In many ways, he wasn't a 'kid' anymore.He had been forced to grow up too fast on their journey.At thirteen, his childhood was almost behind him, and he was being compelled to accomplish yet another task of life or death proportions.**

**Suddenly, she felt his arms around her, giving her the fierce hug that also reminded her of John.As hard as she tried, Maureen couldn't hold back all of her emotions, and tears slid down her cheeks.She missed John so much and was so fearful for him.**

**"Mom, we'll get the Jupiter ready for the jump.Then we'll show that prince who's the real boss around here.Dad's okay and we'll find him," Will said softly.**

**"I know, Will, and that's exactly why you're needed here.I don't want to lay something this hard on you, but you're the only one who can work with the Robot and figure out what your dad wanted," she told him, ruffling his hair as she did when he was younger.**

**"Thanks, Mom.We'll do it.I promise."**

**The night was long and filled with many sleepless or nightmare-laden moments, and Maureen was glad when the sun peeked over the distant hills.Later that morning, under the expert hands of Judy, Maureen underwent a transformation that astounded Mreelon, who was on hand to help."Oh, Guardian's beloved, you could easily pass for one of us.That is a wonderful disguise.You will only need to remember not to stand up straight, since you are a little taller than us."Turning to Judy, she said, "Guardian's daughter, you have a most marvelous skill."**

**Judy blushed.They had been speaking in a combination of English and Krimlon, each learning the language of the other."Thank you very much, Mreelon."**

**In order to test the durability of the new disguise, Maureen had a short practice bout with Max."It's going to work, Judy," she announced at the conclusion of the workout.She gathered her supplies into a pack and hugged everyone good-bye.Bralin seemed eager to leave and Max carried his 'shroud' over his shoulder.**

**"Maureen, I wish you would take a laser pistol," Don commented.**

**"No, Don, I don't want to draw any attention to ourselves, and hopefully before we might need a pistol, you will be through the gate, and you can have that honor," she replied with a wry smile and thought of the small secret weapon that lay hidden in her pack.She thought of how much simpler it would have been had she and John taken the pair of laser rifles that had inadvertently been left in the ssHreana ship with their jet packs.Inadvertently, or a lapse caused by the drawing power of the gate, she wondered.**

**"That's a promise," he quipped.**

**"Mom, be careful," Penny added.**

**As they neared the gate, its glow seemed eerie even in the mid-day sun."May I suggest that I go through first and make sure there is no one on the other side," Max said.Maureen agreed and the robot calmly threw the ghostly shroud over his head and torso, stepped between the two poles and disappeared.Within a few minutes he was back, reporting no sign of any activity.**

**"Well, here we go and may God guide us in our quest," Maureen said fervently and led the group of two humanoids, one robot and two flutter-dragons through the gate.**

**====================**

**"Stand like this." John showed Dar the fighter's stance that had precipitated his footwork in the forest when he was captured.In several quick moves, his right foot was suddenly lightly placed against the Krimlon's ribcage.**

**The guard looked down at the scuffed boot and smiled sheepishly."Guardian, you make it look so easy."**

**"My name is John, and it takes practice.Some types of this fighting take years to master.I am...uh, not a master at this."Although having become fairly conversant in Dar's language over the past three days, John still felt that there was much to learn.And this included learning more about Dar himself.He felt Dar's friendship and, to his embarrassment, his admiration, but he couldn't understand the man's instant bonding to him, an alien, or by his own admission, an 'abomination.'John had been unable to communicate enough until now to ask some of these questions, and he still felt ignorant in his knowledge of Krimlon itself.**

**"Can you teach me this?" Dar asked, interrupting his reverie.**

**"I will try," John answered and began teaching the fundamentals.Dar was very quick, but he was impatient with himself, and the professor could feel his frustration growing.Patiently he retaught one of the moves, but the guard kept having trouble getting the right angle of the kick."You need to relax, Dar," he said soothingly. _'Do it this....,_ ' John began, sending a complex and vivid mental picture of the stance and ensuing action.**

**Sudden shooting pain caused him to stumble and reach blindly for the wall.Dar grabbed his arm.John could faintly feel his concern."That hurt like hell," he gasped as the guard helped him to the chair."I keep forgetting....Why do I keep forgetting?"**

**"It must be hard for one accustomed to the . . . telepathy as you are," Dar consoled him.**

**The pain receded to a dull ache."Thing is, Dar, it was only a year ago that we met the zanlings.Telepathy was only a word to me then, not anything real.It amazes me how quickly I have gotten used to it.How much I have come to depend on telepathic communication.I wake up from the pain sometimes when I have unconsciously tried to call Maureen or Silverado.**

**"Dar, why are you doing this for me?Why are you helping me?I am an abomination, as you call it, an alien in a land where aliens and . . . those different are feared," he asked, changing the direction of his conversation.**

**"Guardian, you are the answer to the dreams and hopes of many of my people.There are so many of us who are sick to death of the killing and fear.We wonder why we should hate and be afraid of abominations.Why deviants must be cast out or killed.The hate is sickening and you are the fulfilling of a prophecy of hope," Dar explained, his voice filled with passion, his eyes gleaming with visions of the future.**

**John groaned."Do you realize what you are doing by laying this guardianship on my shoulders?You're letting yourself in for a great disappointment.I am a man, Dar, I'm not a prophet or a miracle worker.I can't change your government or the disposition of your people.Only the Krimlon can change the Krimlon.Please, Dar, don't put that burden on me.All I want to do is escape; go back to my beloved and my family...."His voice trailed off and the silence in the cell became oppressive.**

**"Guardian, your very presence could be the catalyst that will bring change for our people," Dar finally said softly."That may be the only thing that you need to do."**

**"I don't even want to be a symbol.I am not your Guardian."**

**"Sometimes fate deals with us in ways that we don't always like.But you are right; you do need to escape and I am trying to figure out a way.It's that headband that's the main problem," Dar reasoned."Also, one thing that I have noticed from the talk of the other guards is that you are too defiant."**

**"Defiant?All I have done is tried to keep calm and not lose my temper!" John exclaimed."How can you reason with someone who's a bully?When he starts ranting and raving, I just keep my mouth shut and don't say anything."**

**"To Prince Mizel and his underlings, that is seen as defiance.He is thinking that you are totally unaffected by your imprisonment," Dar said.**

**"It's a very good thing that you and the prince can't read my mind right now," John stated softly."You cannot imagine how much I want to be out of here, Dar.I want to be free.I don't like captivity.I never have.I have a family that I worry about and think about constantly.I miss my children.I miss my beloved. I want her with me.I want to hold her....I have to escape, Dar.I can't stay in here long."**

**"Guardian, there is another reason that I am helping you.I feel a kinship with you, a friendship that is beyond race.I felt that at the place of capture.It sickened me that I was forced to be the instrument of your imprisonment," Dar said softly and then paused for a few minutes."My beloved made a point that I want you to think about. Litha said that the best way to get her younger brother to become lax and complacent is to make him think that he has won," Dar told him.**

**"You mean compliance?" John asked.**

**"Yes.Act a little more respectful towards him," Dar suggested."Or a little more afraid."**

**John shuddered at the thought."Thanks a lot, Dar.That's a real comforting thought," he said sarcastically.Both men fell silent as they waited for the shift change. Taking Dar's knife, John made another mark on the wall. Four, all lined up in a neat row, he noticed morosely.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Twelve](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons12.htm)**  
---  
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	12. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Twelve-**

**Mizel's Dirty Little Trick**

**John awoke to a toe not so gently nudging his side.Looking up, he saw Prince Mizel,his special bodyguard and a hooded man glaring down at him."Get up, monster," the guard commanded, the translator echoing the words in English. Complying, John stiffly rose to his feet and silently waited for this day's entertainment.What he got was anything but what he expected.**

**Quietly and with great disdain, Mizel said only two sentences."Abomination, I just wanted to let you know that my guards are dismantling the questing gate as we speak.No one from the other side will be able to get through."Then he turned and left.**

**Reaching the end of the corridor Mizel turned to the hooded man, whose features were shadowed and mysterious."Do you think my statement had any effect on him?His face remained passive.I hope you are right and he understood what I said, Purifier."**

**"Your Highness, he understood.Did you see his eyes?That gave him away.We should see results within several turns," the hooded man said.**

**"I sincerely hope so, I am tired of looking like the fool in front of that animal," Mizel said testily.**

**"My Prince, he will respond exactly as I have predicted.And when he does, you will be waiting...."**

**"Yes, I will be waiting," Mizel repeated.**

**=======================**

**John stood staring at the door for several minutes after the prince and his retinue left.'The gate dismantled?Stranded!!Maureen and the kids on the other side. No! No!!'His mind reeled from the shock of that revelation, and he began to pace.His guard ordered him to sit down; John ignored the demand and continued walking back and forth, much as a caged tiger would.His muscles tightened and his jaw clenched. Fury continued to mount and he barely restrained himself from bolting for the door. After a few minutes the guard walked up to him and grabbed his arm, trying to pull him down.With no conscious thought, John backhanded him and the Krimlon hit the wall and slumped to the stone floor.**

**Only cursorily checking the unconscious form to make sure he was alive, John reached for the control box and looked at the dials and settings.Taking the knife from his guard's waist, he reversed it and with several blows of the handle turned the equipment into scrap, continuing to beat at it long after its effectiveness had been neutralized.Kicking the pieces into a corner, John checked the door and finding it unlocked, quietly opened it and slipped out into the silent corridor.**

**He ran as quietly as he could and his boots made only slight echoes in the long hallway.It would seem that few prisoners were kept in this part of Mizel's dungeon or else they were very quiet.Feeling a peculiar intuitive sensation of trouble, John nevertheless continued down the corridor, seeking escape, seeking freedom.Finally, he found a door leading to the outside, apparently this one had access to the rear of the palace.**

**John smiled in satisfaction.There were trees and shrubbery, excellent to hide in as he put as much distance between himself and the palace as he could.To his right he saw and smelled evidence of a stable.He was not a particularly skilled equestrian, but he had learned to ride back on Earth.An animal would make the trip to the gate much easier.**

**At the door to the stable, he saw a conduit for delivering water to the animals.Feeling a particular need, John paused long enough to dip his head and hands in the reservoir of cool water and wash at least a little of the grime he felt he had picked up in almost four days. The four-day growth of beard could not be taken care of right now, but he felt much better.**

**John smoothed back his hair with one hand and tried a quick questing thought, wincing at the shock he received.Morosely, he realized that the headband was waterproof, but at least the controlling device had been destroyed.Then as he was reaching for the door handle, he felt a strong and sudden surge of bio-electric energy course through his brain and into his body, and he doubled up with the sudden pain. Cries of agony tore from his chest and echoed in the courtyard. Turning as though in molasses, John was aware of the prince, his guard and the hooded man just outside the same door that he had recently 'escaped' from.**

**His ears only slightly acknowledged the sadistic laugh that was coming from the lips of the sovereign while his eyes noticed a duplicate controlling device in Mizel's hands.John tried to clutch the doorframe, but felt his fingers drawing into fists and his body slipping to the ground.The shock waves continued to beat at him."NO!!!" he cried out in agony as the earth rose up to meet him.Continuing to keep a tenuous hold onto consciousness, John felt the jabs of pain moderate, and through a haze saw the prince and the hooded man standing over him.**

**Still laughing, Mizel held the translator in one hand."I wanted you to try to get something that you desired so badly, Abomination, that you would even act stupidly to get it.And then I wanted to see you fail."His laughter subsided into chuckles."But what I told you was true.The gate has been destroyed.This is also true; I will break you.I will destroy the myth of the Guardian."**

**As John's awareness of his surroundings began to slip away, he gathered strength to answer his tormentor."Damn you, Mizel.…"The prince blanched and pushed a button on the controlling device.What he didn't know was that his prisoner was already beyond feeling his punishments.**

**Mizel kicked the unconscious Guardian."That was pleasant.What do we do for an encore, Purifier?" he asked.**

**"I would suggest, my Prince, that we see what effect this incident has had on the Abomination," the Purifier said disdainfully."I also think we need to start surveillance on Guardsman Arandar.He is sympathetic to the monster, and he has taught this freak our language.Your sister is guilty of sedition as well.She will have to be dealt with," the hooded man added.**

**"Yes, you are correct, but should we not wait and watch Arandar and Mooreelitha discreetly for a while longer?It would not do to make them suspicious yet," Mizel said.**

**"A little bit longer, my prince."The hooded man gestured to the bodyguard who had been waiting by the door."Take the animal back to his cell."**

**===========================**

**When Dar entered the cell that night, he felt something amiss immediately.The Guardian sat against the wall, his head resting on his knees, but he didn't look up as he entered.After awhile and when it was safe to do so, the Krimlon walked over to his human friend and shook his arm.**

**"Leave me alone," the Guardian mumbled, not lifting his head.**

**Dar was worried and wondered what had happened during the day.Pulling out the water container that Litha had packed with his dinner, he took the stopper out and knelt down in front of the Guardian."Guardian, my beloved sent something that she thought might taste good to you. It is also refreshing."**

**Finally the Guardian looked at Dar and the guard was struck with the abject hopelessness, bitterness and pain that was sketched on his face."I am not your Guardian. Get that through your head.I didn't come here to fulfill some prophecy, and I don't want the responsibility.I just wanted to find my friends and go back to my family.And now I can do neither," he said fiercely.**

**"Here, take this," Dar suggested mildly.After what seemed an eternity, the Guardian's eyes softened slightly, and he took the container, taking several swallows before realizing that he had more than water.After coughing and choking, he looked at Dar."What is this stuff?" he whispered, his throat still protesting the tart and fiery liquid."I don't think I've ever had anything this potent before."**

**"It is the nectar from the stickleberry vine.It is recommended mainly for physical pain, but it's also used for other kinds of pain," Dar explained quietly.**

**"Your beloved is very astute, Dar, because I am feeling a great deal of pain right now,” John told him and took several more swallows.Dar took it from him and replaced the stopper.**

**"Enough.As you said, it's very potent."Putting the container away, he sat back and waited for his friend to begin.**

**Sighing, John leaned back against the wall, careful not to let the headband touch anything."That's a very good painkiller, Dar.This hellacious headache is beginning to fade already.Your dear prince came to my cell today, but this time, instead of haranguing me, he simply told me that the gate had been dismantled.I'm stranded on your world, Dar, and my beloved is on another planet."He paused and stared at the ceiling for a few minutes."I suppose that's a blessing.Maureen and the kids are safe on Karturm where Mizel can't get to them."He then told his friend the details of his escape attempt.**

**"I am so sorry, Guardian.I knew that the Prince was devious and malicious, but I wasn't expecting anything like this," he said with great feeling.**

**John became aware of the fact that although Dar was fairly emotional right now, he was unable to read any of his thoughts and feelings."I think I may be losing some of my telepathic abilities as well.This device does its work well,” he said bitterly.He closed his eyes and let the drink continue to do its work."And stop calling me Guardian."Both men were silent for several minutes.**

**"I do know this, Dar.Mizel hasn't discouraged me from trying to escape.He just taught me a very valuable lesson.Never underestimate your opponent.I have to be more careful.But I have to escape before I'm stripped of my whole identity," he said softly with great conviction.**

**Dar gave him some fried meat nuggets and a bread roll to go with them and sat back while his friend ate.He wished that he didn't feel so helpless."I think now might be the time to try total compliance and see if that doesn't cause some of the restrictions to ease."**

**"Beg and grovel," John commented dryly, between mouthfuls.He was beginning to feel somewhat better, physically. "By the way, give Litha my compliments.This is very good."**

**Dar continued."I am serious, Guardian.Strength is not the answer.And compliance may be the key, because I think I can give you another reason to escape."John looked up at him in curiosity."That gate was not the only one in existence.The supplies to set up a gate were part of that cache that was found.The same cache that your headband came from.I believe that it's possible to get the parts to reestablish a link with K'rt'rm.All the materials from the cache are stored near the palace in Kirvos."**

**Hope flared like a flame. "Dar, are you sure?" he asked.**

**"Sure enough to mention it to you, Guardian," Dar commented with a smile."But, please, try Litha's way.Do it the best you can."**

**"Well, all right, but you know that I'm going to gag even as I kowtow to that maniac," John said, using the Earth term.Seeing Dar's confused expression, John demonstrated, executing a perfect head to the floor bow.Dar laughed.**

**====================**

**The night was far gone when Maureen, Bralin and Max stepped out of the gate into the semi-coolness ofKrimlon's early morning hours.Walking over to the nearest post, the robot examined the base and all along to the top.At the base, he disconnected some wires and handed a box with the attached wires to Maureen."This is the power source that this device uses at night.As far as I can see, the gate uses solar energy the rest of the time.Very ingenious."Carefully putting his plexi-steel arms around the post he gently, slowly heaved it out of the ground.It slid out easily.Bralin pointed out a tiny ravine about fifty paces from the gate and the robot carried it to the indicated spot and gently laid it down.**

**The Krimlon began covering the post up with leaves, dead sticks and brush while the robot got the second one.Soon all evidence of the gate, with the exception of the holes, was gone from sight."What are your plans now, Mrs. Robinson?" Max asked.**

**"We wait and watch for the soldiers.I suspect that at the earliest, it will be later in the day.As much as I want to leave and start looking for John, I worry that the soldiers will conduct a search of the area, wondering where the gate has gone to unless someone is here to give some kind of explanation."**

**As the sun came up, the trio ate from the basket that Judy and Maureen had packed the previous evening, then tried resting.Max stealthily reconnoitered the area several times before joining the two humanoids."The area seems to be safe for the moment, Mrs. Robinson," Max informed her.**

**"Well, then, why don't we practice with the staves for a short while," she said, pulling her staff out from its sling on her back.Max did the same and proceeded to conduct a workout with her that lasted over an hour.The mechanical man noticed her improvement from the previous day and consequently added more defensive as well as offensive moves to her repertoire.**

**"Thanks, Max," she said appreciatively when they had finished.The robot bowed and resumed his guard duties.**

**Bralin had watched quietly from the side of the clearing while they practiced."Guardian's beloved, we need to come up with good names for you and the metal man," he pointed out."Krelon would be good for Max.Korissa was the name of my grandmother.Would that be suitable for you?"**

**"It's a very pretty name, thank you."**

**Late in the afternoon, Max came striding silently into the clearing with the news that soldiers were close.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Thirteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons13.htm)**  
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	13. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Thirteen-**

**Kowtowing**

**Five soldiers rode into the clearing, looking hot, tired and dusty.Seeing no gate, where they had supposed there should be one, they stopped and stared around them, perplexed.One walked over to the spot where the poles had been pulled out and stared at the holes.Maureen and Bralin were gathering sticks and branches and breaking them up.Max and the lizards had stayed hidden in the brush.**

**"What happened to the gate that was here?" the leader demanded of them.**

**"Oh, Guardsman," Bralin said in a whiny, nasal kind of voice."Soldiers came earlier in the day and pulled the shiny posts out and took them away.Didn't you see them, sirs?"**

**The soldiers looked at each other in consternation.They had specifically been sent to destroy the gate and not to return to the palace until they had done so.Now there was no gate to destroy.**

**"Oh, it is too bad that you were sent out here in this heat," Bralin added."And I suppose that the others are sitting back in the capital drinking in a cool tavern."**

**Several of the men grumbled and cursed."You're sure they were soldiers?" the leader asked.**

**"Oh, yes, they were, sirs," Bralin said promptly."Uniforms just like yours."**

**"Well, I suppose it doesn't matter as long as someone did it," the leader said."Come on, men, there's an empty house on the way back, we'll stay there for the night and report to the prince tomorrow."They turned and rode their mounts back the way they came, without another word to the pair working in the clearing.**

**When the palace soldiers were well out of earshot, Max came out of hiding and joined the other conspirators."Max, you will need to be back here by 2300 on the third day from today to replace the posts. It won't matter where we are or what has happened, you will need to do that," Maureen said emphatically.**

**"From the information that Bralin has given me, I will have the opportunity to accompany you into the provincial capital to help you look for Professor Robinson for a short time.I will make sure that I give myself sufficient time to return precisely on schedule," Max assured her.**

**"By the way, Bralin.Thank you.That was wonderful.With my meager knowledge of your language, I wouldn't have been able to pull that off," she said.And the three set out on the road leading to the capital while there was still light to travel.**

**=========================**

**As distasteful as Litha's suggestion was to John, he soon turned it into a game, with the human seeing how far he could go without the prince or his cronies catching on to his ploy.When Dar's replacement came in early the next morning, he had curled himself up in the corner.As the guard entered, he cried out, in a mixture of English and Krimlon,"No more pain!Please, no more...."He wanted his captors to understand him, but didn't want them to suspect that he had been taught the language.**

**"He like this all night?" the morning guard asked.**

**"Yes, just about drove me crazy with that abominable language of his," Dar answered."I wasn't sure what happened yesterday, but he certainly didn't give me any trouble last night.Enjoy your shift, friend."**

**Pouring out the abomination's ration of water, the guard kept staring at the alien, wondering at the device that would so devastate a being."Got your water," he said evenly.The prisoner just stared at the controlling device clipped to his belt.The deviant's eyes had a wild look in them; frightened.These abominations were contemptible and deserved exile from Krimlon, but the guard wasn't a cruel man and knew that this was the only time of the day that a water ration was allocated.Unclipping the device and laying it on the chair, he took a step toward the abomination and held out the cup.**

**John reached out and grabbed it, careful not to spill anything, while still giving the pretense of abject fear.Keeping his eyes focused steadily on his guard, he gulped the water down, and then took the oatmeal-like substance that seemed to be standard fare for prisoners here.Instead of disdainfully contemplating it as he usually did, John went ahead and ate it quickly, almost gagging at the taste.If it hadn't been for the supplementary meals that Dar brought from his home, he knew that he would be starving.This was not enough to sustain a Krimlon, much less a six foot three inch human.As it was, the stuff lay heavy in his stomach.Something else to remember Mizel by when he finally escaped from this foul snake's den.**

**Then he sat quietly, staring at the guard, with the empty utensils in his hands.His captor beckoned for the items, and John slowly reached out with a trembling hand and gave them to him.Quickly he scrambled back to the wall as the Krimlon guard put the items away and clipped the device back on.Figuring that this was as good a time as any to sleep, he curled up with his face to the wall and tried to get some rest.He did notice that the headband seemed to be losing power.There was no more than a slight shock that quickly dissipated as his head rested on the stone floor, and he was grateful for whatever respite he could achieve.**

**Again, sleep was interrupted by a toe in his back.John rolled over and in his half sleep almost forgot the role he was playing.Quickly recovering, he yelped in consternation and scuttled to a far corner.Mizel laughed and John felt a flaring of irritation at the prince's pleasure, but he continued the charade."No, no more . . . no more," he said softly, letting fear color his voice.**

**"Well, Purifier, this is very good.If he continues like this, perhaps a little fresh air would be in order tomorrow," Mizel commented, laughing evilly.John wondered what he could be referring to, but knew it wouldn't be anything pleasant. Walking over to his guard, Mizel took the controlling device in his hand and then turned and approached him.Widening his eyes as though horrified, John held his hands up in front of his face and cried out for the prince to stop.The hooded man just stood near the door, silently watching.**

**Mizel pressed the button.The shock flared briefly and caused John to cry out, but it didn't seem to be as intense as the day before.In keeping with the part he was playing, though, the professor fell to the floor as though unconscious.**

**"He does seem weakened.The device renders him helpless very quickly now," the Purifier said evenly."Perhaps he will be ready for his excursion tomorrow, your Highness."**

**Mizel laughed as John lay on the floor, seething. He sincerely hoped that Dar was right.Soon the pair left and he fell asleep once more, having nothing better to do and sick of groveling for the moment.As he dozed off, his thoughts returned to the Jupiter II and Maureen, and he wished at this moment that he could teleport across space and be out of this nightmarish place.**

**========================**

**"Robot, try it again!" Will demanded.**

**A humming began under the navigational console and then a loud pop, followed by the acrid scent of burned wiring."Will Robinson, there is something wrong in our computations or in the materials we are using.I suspect the latter.We need a crystal to build the conductor.The items that we are using are not strong enough to withstand the electrical current that we have to use to link with the gate."**

**"Link with the gate...We're missing something, Robot.I think Dad was missing something, too.Wait a minute!Instead of linking with the gate, why don't we figure out the components of the gate and incorporate them into the computer banks of the Jupiter II.We would become a gate."Will looked up at the Robot exultantly.**

**"Let me think on that line of reasoning, Will Robinson.Give me two point nine minutes."The Robot raised his plexi-glass bubble top and Will could hear his inner circuits and mechanisms whirring.Soon his top slid down."My computations tell me that the probability of success of your theory would be greater than fifty percent.Let us go to the gate and investigate.Then I can compute more accurately."**

**"And as far as crystals, Dad found a bunch of gemstones before we left last time.Surely there would be some suitable to use as a focus for the energy transfer," Will said brightly.**

**"Again you are correct, Will Robinson."**

**"How's it going, Will?" Judy asked as she came up in the elevator."And is there anything I can do to help?"**

**"Yes, there is.Do you remember the place where Dad found all those gems that everyone liked so much?"**

**"Yes, I do," Judy answered.**

**"I think we're going to need some.If you could get samples of the different types, that would save Robot and me some time.I can't believe that we have only a day and a half before Max is supposed to replace the gate," the boy fumed.**

**"You're doing fine, Will.And I know that you two will figure this out," Judy assured him."I'll go out and look right now.Mark is down for his nap."**

**"The Robot and I are going to the gate.We're trying to see if we can figure out the mechanism of the gate itself."**

**After several hours of examination and reexamination the Robot declared, "Will Robinson, your theory is usable and I have the equations and configurations that will give the Jupiter II the capability of using the other gate as a focus and jumping to Krimlon without the necessity of using this gate."**

**Will almost shouted for joy."All right, Robot!We'd better get started.First let's talk to Brashiin and see how he and Oanir are doing."**

**When they arrived at the ssHreana ship, Will was surprised to find that Penny was in the tank with the ssReelen.She had only removed her shoes, but wearing her regular clothes didn't seem to impede her actions. A breathing mask allowed her to remain in the tank with her friends for an extended time, and Will saw that she was as graceful in water as she was in zero-G space.Some of the ssReelen seemed to enjoy swimming through the strands of her loose hair.What was most impressive was the intriguing melodies and pictures that flowed through his mind.They were combinations of pictures of Earth and, what he presumed to be ssHreana.It was really beautiful.Whales frolicked in the corners of his mind along with ssReelen and creatures that he couldn't recognize.Music of the oceans whispered soothingly.**

**Penny saw him and waved. Her hair floated around her head forming a dark halo. _'Oh, Will, this is so incredible_.'**

**_'Yes, I can tell.I envy you.Where are Brashiin and Oanir_?' he asked. **

****

**_'We are here, Will Robinson.We are progressing on the changes to our ship, but we need the help of your robot to help us load the equations and computations that will make this kind of a jump possible_ ,' Brashiin told him.Will saw the ssHreana working on a console further down the corridor.**

****

**"Robot, Brashiin needs your help with putting in the data for the gate jump," Will informed the robot.**

**"I will be happy to help the ssHreana download the data, but one of you will have to stay to communicate with them."**

****

**_'I will, I need to get out soon anyway, before I end up looking like a California Raisin_.'Penny's floating whisper of laughter nudged his mind.**

****

**=====================**

**After two days of walking on the dry and dusty road, the trio arrived at the outskirts of the regional capital.Bralin walked up to a woman carrying a basket of wash and offered to help her.As they accompanied the old woman, the young Krimlon engaged her in conversation."What is all the commotion, gentle lady?"**

**"Prince Mizel has sent out a decree throughout this region to gather tomorrow at noon in the plaza.It is rumored that the Guardian will be there," she informed them.**

**Maureen's heart almost made a leap right up her chest. _'John_ ,' she thought, great hope flaring.They reached the woman's house and returned her laundry to her.**

**"Many thanks," the woman said.They nodded and took their leave.**

**"I'm worried about tomorrow," Bralin said."I wonder what the prince is up to?"**

**"I don't know, but at least I'll get to see John," Maureen said."At least I know that he's alive."**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Fourteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons14.htm)**  
  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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**[Main Page](http://www.bookscape.net/index.htm)**


	14. The Exhibition

“Dar, are you serious?” John asked, incredulous. 

“I wish I weren’t, Guardian,” Dar responded. “Mizel is trying to discredit the legend of the Guardian and wants to display what you ‘have become’ to the people and then let the gossips do the rest of the work for him. If he is successful, then he will have a private execution.” 

“So I have to keep up this ploy, and then he’ll kill me no matter what. This was not in my contract when I signed up with Alpha Control. And if I had to die anyway, I think I would rather be dignified and dead, rather than abased and dead,” John commented dryly. “And please stop calling me Guardian.” 

Despite the gravity of the situation, Dar chuckled at his friend’s comments. “You will not be dead. Tomorrow night or the next, you should be able to escape. Prince Mizel will no longer be worried about you, nor will he see you as a threat.” 

“Hmm, tomorrow night. Not an hour later. And as soon as we’re safe, a bath or shower and a shave.” John scratched at the heavy growth that was on its way to becoming a full fledged beard. 

“Of course, Guardian,” Dar answered with a smile. He dug into the lunch basket that Litha prepared for him and brought out some greelongs, the meat and vegetable pastries that he loved so well. Although neither had ever mentioned it, Litha had, from the first night, packed more than what he was able to eat. As Dar thought he would, the Guardian ate his dinner with great relish. 

“You know, Dar, I’m glad I don’t have to decide who is the better cook. Your beloved would give mine a run for her money,” John said, after consuming the first pastry. “That stuff they give out in the morning isn’t humane for one’s worst enemy.” 

“I will pass along your compliment. When we were first united, Litha could not cook water.” Dar chuckled in remembrance. 

“Well, Maureen could, but not much else. But I’m amazed at what she can do with replicated food. And even when that was scarce, she was able to pull together something for us that was wonderful....” John’s voice trailed off and he was silent for a few minutes. Dar knew where his friend’s mind was. The pastry grew cold in John’s hand as his eyes saw beyond the stone walls of his prison. 

Finally, he looked up at his Krimlon friend. “I will continue this charade if it will get me free to find Maureen. I will do anything to get back to her and the children.”  
Dar nodded. He had been trying to imagine life without his beloved Litha. “You have only tomorrow and then you will be out of here,” he assured the Guardian. 

========================= 

By the time the sun had risen above the distant hills, Maureen had become as nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Well aware of Bralin’s constant reminders that John had been imprisoned for six days, she was nevertheless relieved that he was still alive, and she was eager to see him, even if only glimpse. It was quite obvious that there would be no opportunity for a rescue; there were already too many people in the plaza. 

“Korissa,” Max said softly. “Are we going to attempt a rescue when the professor is brought out?” 

“No, Krelon, that would be foolish with all of these people here, as is talking about it.” 

“I adjusted my vocalizations so that what I am saying is being heard only by you,” he answered. 

Sighing in relief, she said, “Good. Sorry, I suppose I’m anxious. Isn’t it about time for you to return to your ‘place’? Despite the fact that you can run very fast and for almost unlimited distances, perhaps you should leave a little earlier than you had planned just in case something unforeseen occurs.” 

“Even though I do not foresee any incidents, you are probably right. But it goes against my programming to leave Professor Robinson in such a predicament.” He paused. “I will leave now, while the crowd is still small enough to move around in.” 

“Good luck, and put it back together as soon as you get there, just in case they are ready early,” she pleaded. Nodding, the robot eased his way through the groups of people and away from the city. Maureen peered into the basket containing Silverado and Maggie. The green lizard chirped softly in encouragement, while Silverado fidgeted, squeaking in anticipation. His golden eyes glowed and Maureen knew that he had read her thoughts. 

The waiting seemed interminable and Maureen spent the hours before the noontime reminiscing. Her reverie was interrupted by a soldier, who mounted a central dais and announced the arrival of Prince Mizel. Being a little taller than most, Maureen took a chance and used that to her advantage, getting a good view of the dais, almost not breathing in anticipation, afraid of what the prince might have done to John in the almost six days of his confinement. 

===================== 

John’s alarm clock was again the toe of a boot in his side. He turned over, played the role of a cringing, broken man and drank the mug of water offered. This time, instead of being given the ‘oatmeal’ breakfast, the guard put what appeared to be a leather collar around his neck. While keeping his passive exterior intact, his thoughts boiled in anger and humiliation. It was at this time that John realized that Mizel’s personal bodyguard was attending to him and not the regular guard. 

The bodyguard gestured for him to get up, and John rose slowly and stiffly. Even though he had worked out and exercised during Dar’s shift, it still wasn’t enough activity to keep his body limber. He was definitely feeling the almost six days confinement. Reaching up, the guard clipped a strap to the collar. John almost forgot himself, but controlling his anger, he backed up in the attitude of fear. A quick hand motion and a jerk on the strap propelled him through the door where Prince Mizel waited with one of the controlling devices in one hand and his translator in the other. 

“Well, abomination, are you ready for your visit outside?” he asked sarcastically. 

John affected a confused look and then smiled. Pile it on thick, John Robinson, make it worthwhile, he thought. What he said was, “Sunshine? Yes!” 

The guard laughed. “He’s ready, my Prince.” The hooded man stood nearby, reminding John of a cobra waiting for the right prey to come along.  
He went along with the trio, acting for all the world like a child enjoying his first circus. And the mind behind those veiled eyes was listing the things that he was going to do when he was finally free. When they walked outside, the sun was hidden behind a thin veil of clouds, but the brightness still hurt his eyes, and John didn’t have to feign his stumbling walk as he rubbed his smarting eyes and tried to keep up with the bodyguard. 

An old vehicle was waiting just outside the entrance, and John was shoved into the very back with the guard getting in beside him. Prince Mizel and his mysterious companion took the seat in the middle, and with a roar the vehicle rolled away from the palace and toward the plaza a short distance away. When they arrived after making their way through dense crowds, another guard accompanied the prince and his companion to a dais, while the bodyguard pulled John out of the car and pointed to a place nearby. 

“My people, you have been summoned here to see the dispelling of a myth, a false legend. I have captured an abomination who calls himself the Guardian. You will see what kind of Guardian you have been waiting for. Bring the abomination to me,” Mizel shouted. 

John was shoved up the short set of stairs. Standing next to Mizel, his great height was very noticeable and a collective gasp came to the prince’s ears. “Where is the silver zanling?” someone shouted from the crowd. As if on cue, Silverado flew overhead. John kept his eyes blank, but inside he was alternately ecstatic and fearful. Silverado had stayed. The guard jerked the strap and John dropped to his knees. 

‘Friend John,’ he heard very faintly in his mind. He didn’t dare answer, knowing that to do so might blow his whole cover. It was imperative that he not be incapacitated by the bio-electric shocks as well. ‘Companion, fly, let us fly,’ Silverado insisted 

“There is the zanling,” the prince shouted to the crowd. Another, louder gasp. “Get it, alive or dead, just get it,” Mizel hissed to his guards. John thought furiously, trying to come up with a solution to save Silverado and himself as well. Mizel had the translator and the controlling device, while he had the headband.... 

Suddenly, he thought of what would alert the flutter-dragon without giving Mizel reasonable cause to believe that he was more lucid than he acted. Getting down on his knees, he grabbed Mizel’s boot and cried loudly, “Oh, mighty Oz, great Reepicheep. Stellaluna, Arthur, Harry Potter, Curious George, beat it, Silverado, Swimmy and Little Engine that Could.” Grabbing Mizel’s boot a little tighter, he pulled it toward him, offsetting the prince’s balance slightly. “Oh, great one, Magic Tree House, find one, flutter-dragon, fly...Daedalus,” he said and pulled the royal boot a little harder. The prince fell against a guard, who scrambled furiously to catch his liege. The bodyguard reached to help Mizel, jerking the strap and causing John to fall forward. “No more, please, no...” he said evenly, back to his total charade.  
Mizel brushed off the guards who were trying to help him, glaring at John the whole time. Then he pushed a button on the controlling device. John felt a sharp jolt of energy, but that seemed to be quickly cut off, and he feigned unconsciousness, lying quite still. He heard the prince berating his lackeys. 

“You idiots, you didn’t get the zanling?” Then louder to the crowd. “Do you see your mighty Guardian? He will rectify nothing, only I, your Prince, will bring unity to this world. And it will begin with the annihilation of all abominations!” Turning to the guards, Mizel hissed, “Get him back in his cell.” 

====================== 

Maureen didn’t feel Bralin pulling her arm; she was too much in shock. John’s physical condition hadn’t affected her as much as his actions had. She wasn’t surprised that he had been mistreated during his imprisonment, but the look on his face, the childlike actions, all indicated torture. Tears rolled down her cheeks before she could control them. The device that the prince carried was apparently a controller of some kind that activated the band around his head. Oh, John, she thought in despair. Finally, she allowed Bralin to lead her out of the plaza to a side street. 

And then suddenly Maureen really understood what John had been saying. It was some kind of code, a message. He was acting, it was a charade, he was still John Robinson inside and the tears that slid down her cheeks were happy ones. 

“Oh, Guardian’s beloved, I am so sorry. I had no idea that the prince would be capable of doing something that drastic in so short a time,” Bralin whispered sadly. They were making their way out of the city, generally in the direction of the Greel Mountains. “The device that the prince was using must be one of the artifacts that were found in the secret cache along with the gates.” 

“Yes, but listen, Bralin. John is not exactly as you saw him. I finally figured it out. The words he was speaking were English, my language. But apparently Mizel has John’s translator, so he had to say them in a way that Silverado could understand his message, but the prince couldn’t. I can only guess that the headband is a device that keeps him from sending thoughts telepathically, so he couldn’t communicate with the zanling that way. And it was obvious that Silverado was going to be captured or killed trying to help John. So John started using English names, mainly the names of characters from books that Silverado was familiar with, interspersed with some phrases that wouldn’t translate well.” 

‘Yes, Maureen,’ Silverado’s bright words came to her mind along with the message that John was not hurt when he was carried off. A picture in her mind showed a large palatial building, presumably Mizel’s residence as well as governmental administrative offices. Apparently John was being held in the building as well. Again Silverado affirmed her reasoning and showed more detail. 

“There is nothing we can do right now, Bralin, except find a place to hide out until the Jupiter II and the ssHreana ship come through. John is being kept in a lower cell in Mizel’s palace and from Silverado’s report, he is well guarded,” Maureen explained. 

They continued walking away from the provincial capital until they came to an old barn that looked to have been unused for several years. A corner with somewhat less musty hay served as a bed for humanoids and zanlings alike. In the now humid heat of mid-afternoon, Bralin slept, but Maureen was unable to doze off. She kept picturing John, bearded and thinner, at the mercy of that madman. Oh, John. I don’t know if we are too far away from each other, or if you can even hear me anymore, but I am here and I love you. Maureen tried to picture her message flying to John as though on wings. She felt the reassuring touch of both Maggie and Silverado, linking with her, strengthening her and she felt comforted. Lying down, she finally dozed off.


	15. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Fifteen-**

**Escape At Last**

**John jerked straight up. “Mo!” he cried.Looking around wildly, he saw the guard staring curiously at him.Jumping to his feet, he started examining the walls and mumbling to himself, but his mind kept trying to remember what he knew he heard as his light sleep left him.‘ _I am here and I love you,’_ He was not imagining it, but at the same time it was inconceivable that Maureen could be here.Laying his head against the cold stone, he realized that when he saw Silverado, he had lightly felt the touch of another presence.That presence had to have been Maureen.She was at the ‘exhibition’ and saw him.**

**Smiling bitterly, he wondered what she thought of his performance.But she had to have seen through it; she sent him a message.Or perhaps she sent the message because of it.Confused, John slid back down to the floor.She was here; she had come back before the destruction of the gate.How was he going to find her?It was imperative that he escape tonight.He had to. _Calm down, professor.Practice what you preach.Practice what you were taught.... Analyze._**

**It seemed obvious that the power of the headband was either weakening, or there was a flaw in the device due to age or bad design.So when he did escape, Mizel should have less ability to incapacitate him.A logical assumption, which he sincerely hoped was correct. His mind kept going back to the stable and the animals being housed there.If he could use one, that would get him further away from the city and from Mizel’s control.Tonight he would be free of this hole; tonight he would find Maureen.**

**Sweat rolled down his face.It seemed even hotter than usual, and the humidity had risen along with the temperature.Closing his eyes, John tried to wrest some coolness from the stones.A distant rumbling heralded the possibility of a storm, and he welcomed it.A click of the latch alerted him to a visitor, but he kept his eyes closed, not wanting to deal with the prince right now.**

**“Asleep?” the visitor said.It sounded like the bodyguard.**

**“Never know with this Abomination.He was awake a short time ago,” the regular guard said.**

**“Well....”A short painful electrical shock caused him to jerk forward, but he played his role and slumped face down to the floor.“The prince might think that this animal doesn’t know our language very well, but I think he does, and so does the Purifier.I needed to give you some information and didn’t want this freak hearing me.Listen carefully, these instructions come from his Highness, so be sure to follow them explicitly.”**

**“I will, sir,” came the response.**

**“The Purifier has gathered a great deal of information which points to the traitorous activities of Guardsman Arandar.When the Guardsman comes in tonight to relieve you, you are to relieve him of his life.As soon as that is done, do the same with the Abomination and then report to me.Do you understand?”**

**“Yes, sir, it will be done.”**

**John heard the door click shut once more.Lying there quietly, he wondered what he or Dar had done to make them suspicious.Mentally shrugging, he realized that escape was going to come sooner than either of them had expected.After a reasonable time, John went through the motions of waking up.The Krimlon was in the chair watching him in amusement.Looking at the device in the guard’s hands, he cried out and jumped to his feet, sliding along the wall until he was in the far corner.**

**The guard laughed.“Sit down, Abomination.I’m not going to hurt you.At least not yet,” he added sadistically.When the guard looked down at the device clipped to his belt, John acted, crossing the distance to his captor in three strides.His elbow caught the man under his chin and propelled him backwards, tipping his chair to the floor.As he fell, the guard reached for the device, but his hand never made it; his head hit the floor just a second after the back of the chair did and he went limp.**

**Reaching inside the unconscious man’s uniform, John pulled out a knife, which he transferred to his own belt.Then he unhooked the controlling device and bashed it against the wall.After several blows, the pieces began raining to the floor, and the professor smiled in deep satisfaction, thinking that this had to be the last one.Taking off the Krimlon’s shirt, John ripped it up in strips, tying several together until he had usable lengths.Then he listened at the door, and hearing no sounds, smashed the chair against the wall.Taking a smaller length, he stuck it between the guard’s teeth, tying it securely with a length of cloth.Then he secured the unconscious man’s feet together and lastly bound his hands. A longer piece of chair served as an extra weapon.**

**Standing back, John was pleased with his handiwork.Pulling out the guard’s basket from the corner, he looked inside and saw some fried meat that closely resembled chicken.The distant rumbling seemed to be getting closer. _All the better,_ he thought. _A storm will make escape easier, hiding any noise that Dar and I make._ As he was finishing the last of the guard’s dinner, the Krimlon woke up and stared at him.There was fear in his eyes, but still he kicked and moaned, trying to get someone’s attention.**

**Pulling out the knife, John held it under the struggling guard’s chin.“I am generally a peaceful man, but my patience is non-existent right now.If you want to live, I would suggest that you sit very quietly,” John told his prisoner in a cold voice.**

**After what seemed an abominably long time, John heard footsteps approaching the cell door.He held the knife ready as a key rattled in the door and with a slight squeak, the door opened.Quickly, John grabbed the surprised Dar and jerked him in the room.“I would suggest that you keep quiet as well,” John hissed, holding the knife to Dar’s throat.His back was to the trussed up guard, and he smiled slightly to reassure his friend.“Shall we go?You will be my hostage,” he added.Dar slowly turned and walked out of the cell.John pulled the door shut behind him.Motioning to his friend, he headed in the same direction he had taken during his ill-fated escape attempt two days before.**

**Just outside the door, John stuck the knife back into his belt and turned to Dar.“Maybe that little scene in there will serve to confuse the prince.But my friend, you must go and get your beloved immediately.The prince ordered your execution.I don’t know how they figured out that you were helping me, but I do know that you both need to find a safe place to hide.Maureen is somewhere nearby, and I have to try to find her.Good luck, Dar.Now go.”**

**Dar needed no extra incentive; he turned to leave. “Guardian, the direction that most go who are in trouble is toward the east, toward the Greel Mountains.”John nodded and Dar was gone.**

**Running into the stable, John saw in the half-light, stalls; in which stood reptilian-like creatures that looked vaguely like the flutter-dragons, only much larger and more powerful.The golden eyes were the most similar features, and he wondered if the two species were related.Walking calmly over to the largest, a bluish-gray animal, he talked soothingly to it while he pulled its bridle from a peg near the stall.It was a hackamore type bridle, having no bit, and it slid easily onto the creature’s head.Locating a saddle, John continued talking softly to the animal, while he placed it on his mount’s back and buckled the straps.He marveled at the creature’s patience and seeming good will as he led it out of the stable.**

**Near the door, John saw a coil of rope.Grabbing it, he threw it over his shoulder and then mounted the obliging beast.There was the off chance that he had underestimated Mizel and the availability of more controlling devices, so he wanted some measure of assurance that if he was incapacitated, he would remain on his ‘horse’ and not be recaptured by the prince.Wrapping one end of it around his waist, he leaned down and reached under the creature’s somewhat sinuous neck, drawing it up with his left hand and tying that end around his waist as well.Enough slack was left for him to wrap it around each wrist at least once.John sincerely hoped that it was enough as he certainly didn’t want to fall off and be dragged to death.**

**Pulling up the slack of the rope with one hand, he gathered the reins in the other and lightly touched his heels to the animal’s side.The gait was similar to a horse’s, but there was a more sliding, slithery feel to the creature’sactions and since the front legs were a bit smaller and less powerful, there was a loping action as well.But it was not unpleasant.**

**John didn’t push the animal, letting it keep to its fast loping trot.Clouds had covered the moon and there was no way of knowing whether he was heading east or not, but he figured that the important thing right now was to get as much distance between himself and Mizel as he could during the night.As soon as he got well out of the city, he would find someone to give him directions.It was very dark and if he stayed in the shadows, his alien-ness wouldn’t be obvious.He only wished he could communicate with Maureen.Reaching up, John felt the defensive mechanisms of the headband reacting, but he still tried to pull it off.After several minutes all he had for his efforts were a dull headache and a deep frustration.**

**Rumbling thunder seemed to echo his pensive mood, and John began seeing flashes of lightning in the distance.The air was heavy with the smell of distant wetness.It felt as though this storm was going to be a strong one, but he kept riding towards it, the creature seemingly unaffected by the occasional lightning flashes and approaching thunder.**

**It was then that he felt the first jolts of the bio-electric shocks.They were only slightly more powerful than he had felt recently, and John just gritted his teeth and continued, but he took the precaution of leaning forward and wrapping both arms with the rope.It wasn’t terribly comfortable on the back, but he had put up with worse lately.Obviously, there was another controller.After a while, he relaxed as there were no new shocks and he sat up a bit to get the stiffness out of his back.**

**As the storm approached close enough to whip the treetops with its wind and rattle the eardrums with the crash of thunder, a series of powerful shocks surged through his brain and down his body.The rope was the only thing that kept him from falling off his mount as his muscles spasmed.His fists closed around the rope and the reins and the confused animal stopped in the middle of the road, disconcerted by the alternating signals that he was getting from his rider. John's screams of pain were drowned out by the roaring thunder.**

**He realized two things almost simultaneously as the waves of energy beat inexorably at him.He had grossly misanalyzed the situation; Mizel was trying kill him with the controlling device since he couldn’t execute him in his cell, and apparently the device still had the power to do just that.His agony was brief though, as he suddenly felt a sensation like an explosion in his brain, and he slumped onto the creature’s neck as he dropped into blessed oblivion.**

**With a great crash of thunder, the rain began, falling in a sudden torrent that instantly soaked everything.The animal sat quietly for a moment, but realizing that his rider wasn’t moving, he looked in the direction the storm had come from and understanding the last wishes of his rider, started trotting toward the distant mountains.He was a military mount, trained for many situations and the disability of his rider was one of them, so he adjusted his gait accordingly.As the night and the storm progressed, the creature continued his easy trot, never stopping, heading unwaveringly toward the east.**

**====================**

**Max was able to make good time and was more than halfway back to the gate as the storm approached.Getting wet meant nothing to him as his parts were protected, but the lightning could be another problem altogether.He continued at his fast mile- eating run, ignoring the thunder that grew ever louder in volume behind him.His directive was to reinstall the gate, and he would ignore the relatively remote danger that threatened behind him.**

**What the robot didn’t count on, however, was the threat of Krimlon soldiers.Even his highly tuned auditory sensors didn’t detect the mounted men until they were almost upon him.“You, pilgrim, have you seen an abomination mounted on a tilon pass by here?” one of the soldiers asked, somewhat deferentially.**

**“No, sir, I have not,” Max said, keeping the shroud low over his face.**

**“What is wrong with your voice, pilgrim?”**

**“It is like this all the time, sir,” Max answered.Then a sudden gust of wind pulled the shroud away from his head and a flash of lightning reflected off of his gleaming metallic face. The soldiers cried out in shock.“An abomination!A deviation!”**

**“A robot,” Max intoned dryly.The leader charged him, but the robot was ready and using the skills programmed into him, soon had the soldier on the ground, writhing in pain. Two others came at him, but one came off his mount on the end of a staff and the other was jerked from his saddle as he thundered by.The other soldiers saw the ease with which the robot fought, and they pulled up their tilons, undecided on their next course of action.Max decided for them, propelling himself through the air in a prodigious leap and knocking yet another Krimlon from his saddle.The others turned their animals and headed back for the city.**

**A tilon looked nonchalantly at him, and the robot pondered the wisdom of riding an alien animal.He decided that his weight would not be too great a burden for the animal, and it would enable him to get to the gate even sooner than his running gait would.Gathering the creature’s reins, Max carefully mounted, sitting quietly in the saddle to let the beast get used to him.When the animal just stood placidly, Max applied a little pressure with his heels and urged him in the direction of the gate. By now the wind was whipping the tree limbs furiously, and the lightning was bright enough to force his optical sensors to adjust.The thunder roared and boomed around him.**

**Max was making good time to the site when lightning struck a tree six meters ahead of him, causing it to explode with a great crack.His mount leaped sideways and then bucked in fright and pain.Suddenly it collapsed and before the robot could extricate himself from the stirrups and leap off to safety, the animal had pinned him underneath it.**

**Doing a self-diagnostic, Max realized that his right foot was damaged and he was caught in an awkward position where he was only able to use the strength of his arms to move the dead animal. After several tries, he realized that his attempts were futile.The robot pondered his situation as the rain began to fall in curtains around him.Sitting up as far as he could, he reached his metallic fingers near the body of the animal and began scraping the now wet dirt from under the dead tilon.He knew that his efforts would be slow and tedious, but eventually he figured he would have a space big enough to slip out from under the animal.Then he would worry about the damaged foot.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Sixteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons16.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	16. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Sixteen-**

**Relief and Revelation**

**Several hours later, Maureen was looking toward the eastern horizon.Distant flashes of lightning and the grumbling of thunder predicted a stormy night, and the tendrils of an idea floated around in her mind.Turning to her companion, she said,“You know this storm would be the perfect opportunity to rescue John.”**

**“It would still be difficult, but with the zanlings to give direction to the whereabouts of the Guardian, perhaps it could be done.I am willing to try,” Bralin agreed.**

**Gathering her staff and pack, she headed to the door.“We can formulate our plan of action as we head back toward the city.”Calling to the flutter-dragons, she gave them instructions to reconnoiter as discreetly as possible and then return.As the two lizards zipped off into the darkness, she and Bralin left the barn and started west toward the city.After a few hours of brisk walking they were at the outskirts, and to their delight, they met nobody at this late hour.**

**As the wind began to pick up, whistling through the trees, Silverado suddenly swooped down and landed on her shoulder.‘ _John gone,’_ he stated simply.At Maureen’s query, the lizard showed her a picture of an empty cell and the presence of many men in a nearby courtyard.He showed her the men as they prepared mounts to ride.Lightning began flashing more often now, giving eerie detail to their surroundings. **

_**‘Where is John?’** _**she asked.Silverado’s answer confused her.He wasn’t able to tell where John was, only that the human was not in the prince’s palace.Her assumption was that he had escaped, especially in light of the actions of the men that Silverado had shown her telepathically.**

****

**‘ _Men coming!’_ the lizard warned her.Maggie dived from the sky and landed on her other shoulder with such speed that Maureen was almost knocked over.The green lizard echoed her companion.**

**‘ _Fly!’_ Maureen commanded.The lizards swooped off her shoulder into a nearby tree just as a mounted troop of soldiers rode into view. **

**“Have you seen an abomination mounted on a tilon ride past here?” the leader demanded.**

**“Yes, rode past like the wind,” Maureen told him, pointing on down the road toward the southeast.**

**Instead of riding on, the leader leaned over and peered into her face.“You speak strangely.”He peered at Bralin.His eyes widened in shock.“These have helped abominations.Arrest them!”**

**Maureen wasted no time.The end of her staff smashed down across the neck of the soldier, and as he fell off, she grabbed the small saddle horn and pulled herself up onto the tilon.It shied a bit as she snatched the reins, but it was well trained and responded to her knee signals.Turning, she threw the staff to Bralin and reached inside her shirt for the small round object that she had hidden there.Holding it up, she concentrated on the rider that was charging her.Suddenly a blinding light shot out of the object, and the soldier suddenly fell out of his saddle and hit the ground with a thud. The tilon stumbled as though tired, but recovering, trotted on down the road.**

**Bralin had knocked his opponent out of the saddle, but was being accosted by two other riders.Again Maureen held out the object and focused her thoughts on the attacker and his intents, and again a beam of energy shot out from the device causing another rider to fall to the road.The three remaining soldiers quickly turned their tilons and fled back to the city.**

**Looking up at her in awe, Bralin commented,“You are full of surprises, Guardian’s beloved.”**

**Laughing, Maureen put away the artifact and gathered the reins of the remaining tilons.Handing one set of reins to the Krimlon, she held on to the others, feeling that their services would be needed.“It is a device that one of our former crew members found on Karturm, and I felt that it might prove useful.Apparently I was right.It is the perfect defensive weapon, these men will wake up later feeling very exhausted, but otherwise they are unharmed.”**

**As Bralin mounted, the storm finally reached them.The sudden burst of rain made Maureen gasp, but there was nothing they could do except turn their mounts to the east and ride.On her shoulder, Silverado suddenly started squeaking very loudly, and then he flew off into the darkness.‘ _John!!’_ he said in her mind.She saw the direction he was headed in and turned to Bralin.**

**“Is there a road in that direction?” she asked, pointing in the direction that Silverado had flown in.**

**“Yes, Guardian’s beloved, a more direct road leading to the Greel Mountains,” Bralin answered.**

**“Let’s get to it.Apparently John is headed in that direction, and Silverado felt him.”**

**======================**

**Dar and Litha walked quickly along the road, watching the storm approach with furious speed.Periodically Dar looked behind him as the crashing thunder made it impossible to hear the approach of anybody. During one particularly bright flash of lightning, the Krimlon made out an approaching tilon.Quickly he pulled his beloved off the road, and from behind a tree, they watched the lone animal ride by at an easy trot.Dar was startled.By the flashes of lightning, he could tell that the mount was from the palace and it also appeared to have a rider.**

**Stepping out onto the road, he whistled the return call.The tilon stopped immediately and then came to him.Dar snatched the lax reins and pulled the animal off the road to safely examine it.“Litha, hold the tilon while I examine what’s on his back.”Stepping around to the creature’s side, he waited for the next bolt of lightning to illuminate the load the creature was carrying.“Guardian!!” he shouted when he recognized the rider.**

**“This is the Guardian?” Litha asked.**

**“Yes, Litha, the man you saw in your dream.And it appears that he tied himself onto the tilon.We have to find shelter soon.May the darkness take your brother, he used the controller on him. There must have been another one.”Dar examined his friend as best he could in the gloom and with the violent storm raging around them.**

**Walking quickly, pulling the tilon behind them, the couple continued down the road toward the forbidden mountains.As the storm eased and changed to a steady beating of life replenishing, soaking rain, the couple was barely able to make out a path leading into the woods.Following it, they found a small house that appeared to have been recently abandoned.Gratefully Dar led the tilon near the gaping doorway and undid the rope holding the Guardian in the saddle.**

**The Guardian’s limp form fell into his arms, and he dragged him into the little house and to what appeared, in the dark, to be a dry corner.Litha quickly gathered dry leaves and twigs that had blown in through the open door and windows and started a fire in the middle of the room.Dar pulled a cloak out of his pack and using pegs that hung above the door, draped it over the opening, shutting out most of the wind.Litha pulled out her cloak and covered the Guardian with it. Quickly she changed into a dry set of clothes and then tended the fire as Dar did the same.As she broke up some dilapidated furniture and fed it into the fire, the unconscious man began moaning.**

**“Give him some of that stickleberry nectar that you packed, Litha.”Dar suggested.**

**“He has to wake up a bit more.I wouldn’t want him to choke to death,” she responded, worried.**

**John came out of the darkness of his nightmares and felt a warmth near his feet.He also felt the water dripping down his neck and the cold of the stones on his back.Shivering, he opened his eyes to see two Krimlon silhouetted near the bright flames of a cheery campfire. One of them handed him a water container.“It is the nectar, Guardian.”**

**“Dar?” he asked guardedly.**

**“Yes, Guardian.We found your tilon heading toward the mountains on a nearby road,” Dar explained.“How do you feel?”**

**“My head aches, but that’s nothing new.I feel . . . strange, but I can’t explain the strangeness.”He took a few sips of the potent drink and sighed.“Don’t call me Guardian, my name is John.”**

**“My brother, the prince used the controlling device on you, didn’t he?” Litha queried.**

**“Yes, he did,” John replied.“Now all I have to do is find out how to get this headband.....**

**“.......off and then I’ll truly be free of your dear brother’s charms,” he added. He wondered why Dar and Litha were looking at him so curiously.“Did I miss something?Why are you looking at me like that?”**

**“Guardian, you have been asleep for some time, but you started talking again right from the place you left off.It’s strange,” Dar said.**

**“What?”John asked, incredulous.“I think you’d better explain exactly what happened.”**

**“You were talking to us and then you were asleep or unconscious.No warning at all.Do you not remember?” Dar asked.**

**John shook his head, frowning.“Apparently Mizel has found a new use for that controlling device.A dangerous new use.”He pondered the situation.The prince might not be able to kill him with the controller, but he was capable of disabling him long enough to be recaptured.The only way John could see around it was to remove the headband.Leaning back against the stone wall he felt the pressure of the headband against the rough stone wall. There were no resulting bio-electric shocks. _Idiot!_ he berated himself, _Why didn’t I think of this before?_**

**Feeling behind him, his fingers located a slight protrusion on one of the stone blocks.Remembering some of the martial arts exercises that Max had shown him, John relaxed his breathing and his muscles and then concentrated on what needed to be done.He felt the stone again, brought his head forward, took a deep breath and jerking backwards, bashed the headband against the wall. There was a sudden cessation of pressure from his skull and a last release of electrical energy. Vaguely, he heard Litha’s exclamation of alarm and a popping sound from inside the headband.As though through a hazy curtain, he watched Dar rush to his side.**

**“Guardian, what happened?”**

**“I am . . . finally . . . free, Dar.”He smiled wanly at the worried soldier.“Finally free.”**

**“Guardian, you’re bleeding,” Litha exclaimed, grabbing a clean shirt from her pack.**

**“Bleeding?”John asked.He felt slightly dizzy and disoriented.Looking down he saw the pieces of the headband lying beside him and then he reached up to feel a sore place on his scalp near his temple.**

**Litha grabbed his hand. “No, Guardian.We don’t want to risk infection.There seem to be two places where the device implanted itself into the skin,” she admonished him.“Let me clean and bind the wounds.”**

**John sat quietly while she administered to him. “Litha, may I ask you a blunt question?”**

**“Yes, Guardian, you may,” she answered, a little puzzled by his request.**

**“How did you manage to come from the same parents as Mizel?”**

**Looking at him steadily, Litha was unable to tell if the Guardian was joking or serious.She decided to treat the question as a serious one.“Actually, Mizel is my half-brother.My father, King Reezel, put aside my mother when she had two daughters and no sons. My younger sister died in childbirth.He married Mizel’s mother in hopes of an heir.It worked and now Krimlon has a prince, such as he is.At times like this, I am ashamed to be of the same lineage as my illustrious half-brother.And I have always felt his animosity.I do want to thank you for the warning, Guardian.”**

**“After what you and Dar have done for me, could I do anything else?”John said as Litha finished tying the cloth that bound his head wound.He took the proffered container of nectar and drank a few swallows.“I just wish that I could have found Maureen.”**

**A flash of silver gave John his only warning of Silverado’s arrival.The lizard warbled happily, landing on his shoulder.**

**“Silverado!” John declared.‘ _You found me...’_ Then he stopped, confused, because he felt as though his communication was hitting a wall, going nowhere.Silverado floated down and perched on his knee, looking into his hazel eyes with shining golden ones.The lizard squeaked in consternation, cocked his head and stared.Even though he knew by his actions that his friend was communicating, John felt nothing, and somehow he knew that Silverado wasn’t ‘hearing’ him either.**

**Sighing, John said, “Silverado, I don’t have the telepathy anymore, I’m sorry.”The flutter-dragon chirped softly and crawled up John’s chest and onto his shoulder, where he rubbed under his friend’s chin.“Thanks, my friend,” he murmured.The professor had realized that he had lost some of the talent while incarcerated, but had not realized that the device could take it all from him.He felt a deep sense of loss, more than he would have considered possible.Silverado continued to rub under his chin, and unconsciously he scratched lightly under the lizard’s.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Seventeen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons17.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
**[Lost in Space Fanfiction Page](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/lisfictionpages.htm)**  
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	17. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Seventeen-**

**Surprising Revelations**

**John sat against the stone wall, eyes closed, hearing Silverado’s soft crooning in his ear.As the storm abated, the wind whispered around the makeshift door, but he paid no more than cursory attention to it. Dar and Litha murmured at the other side of the dilapidated cottage, but he ignored that as well.**

**By taking away something that had become a part of his being, the prince had beaten him.In a small way, Mizel had won.John felt someone’s hand on his arm.Looking up, he was astonished to see Murreena in front of him.She smiled slightly and then reached over and touched his forehead lightly with one finger.There was still a slight sheen of water on her dolphin-like skin and her luminous blue eyes bored deeply into his own.**

**He shook his head.“It’s gone, Murreena.Totally.I not only feel the loss of the telepathy, but I feel as though something else is gone.I don’t know what, but I can’t seem to think the way I did before.I feel as though a part of me has been ripped away....”He let his voice trail off as Murreena cocked her head and looked puzzled.“I can’t ‘hear’ you, can’t feel yours or Silverado’s thoughts.I’m sorry.”Murreena shook her head and gestured for him to stop talking. It was John’s turn to look puzzled.**

**Litha walked over to them and the two women looked at each other.John’s frustration grew, knowing that they were ‘discussing’ him, but then he sighed, realizing that none of it was their fault.Feeling restless, he stood up, but had to hang on to the wall as a sudden wave of vertigo swept over him.He closed his eyes for a moment until it passed.**

**“Guardian,” Litha said softly, placing her hand on his arm.Slowly, he opened his eyes and the room remained steady.“Are you all right?”**

**“Yes, I was just a bit dizzy for a moment.It’s over now.I think I’m just tired,” he answered with a wan smile.**

**“Murreena says that a total loss of telepathic abilities only comes from major brain injury, such as a serious skull fracture.What you are saying makes no sense to her,” Litha told him.**

**Anger flared.“I don’t care if it makes sense or not.It happened.Mizel stole a chunk of me!Ripped it away!It isn’t just the telepathy, it’s more....”John paced the room trying desperately to rid himself of the restlessness and frustration that seemed to have been building inside.Dar sat near the fire, watching his friend with worried eyes.Finally John stopped pacing and sat down beside him.“I’m sorry, Murreena, Litha.It’s not your fault.”**

**“Murreena says that she feels she is missing something, that there is an explanation for your loss, but she cannot think what it is,” Litha conveyed.**

**Suddenly Dar jumped up and grabbed his staff in one hand and a knife in the other.With a gesture he motioned for everybody to be silent while he quietly slipped to the makeshift door.Just as he was reaching for the cloth it was pulled away and two Krimlon entered.**

**“Bralin!” John exclaimed.Then his eyes widened as recognition dawned.“Maureen….”He jumped up and they stared at each other for a brief moment.Then they were in each other’s arms.**

**“Oh, John, it seems like it’s been an eternity....”Suddenly, she couldn’t talk; John was keeping her busy.Finally he took her hands in his and just looked into her eyes.**

**“You are so beautiful in pointed ears, my dear,” he said softly, with a chuckle.**

**She laughed with him.“I will not say what I think about your fashion statement, John, but I’m so glad that you’re free from that maniac.”**

**“Yes,” he murmured, “so am I.”**

**Maureen shivered.“John, your hands are like ice.”**

**“Cold hands, warm heart,” he said softly and kissed her again.Maggie and Silverado spiraled toward the ceiling, chirping their joy at the reunion.“Let’s watch the rain for a moment.”**

**As they walked to the doorway, John paused suddenly and Maureen looked at him in concern.He seemed pale and disoriented.“John, are you all right?”**

**“Maureen...”He looked at her in confusion.“I...I don’t feel very well all of a sudden...” To her horror, he quietly collapsed at her feet.**

**“John!!” she cried.“Bralin, bring me my pack!”The Krimlon complied and she dug in it looking for her diagnostic tool.Silverado set up a keening cry that echoed in the rafters.Swooping down, he landed on John’s chest, squeaking inconsolably.“Murreena, I’m busy right now.Tell him that John is not dead.”**

**Suddenly the little lizard stopped in mid-cry and looked pensively at his friend.Maureen turned on her diagnostic and checked John over.Sighing, she put the tool aside and began giving orders.“Is there a blanket or something to use as one?”Soon, she had her husband comfortable and warm.**

**‘ _I now understand why John’s telepathic abilities seemed to have ceased,’_ Murreena commented once the commotion had died down.Maureen noticed that everyone appeared to be ‘listening’ intently to her, and she deduced that the ssHreana must be communicating with everybody. **

**“What do you mean, Murreena?” Maureen asked.**

**‘ _As John was passing into a state of unconsciousness, I was able to discern that his telepathic talent is intact.Prince Mizel’s device did not destroy his abilities.”_**

**“But why wasn’t I able to communicate telepathically with him?I felt like I was hitting a brick wall,” Maureen asked.**

**‘ _Exactly.Because you were.You were hitting John’s telepathic shield.I should have realized this was the problem,’_ Murreena explained _. ‘His mind has set up a protective guard so powerful that even he can’t get past it.I have never seen a more powerful defensive shield in my life.This was the perfect defense against the prince’s continued use of the device that had been placed around his head.’_ She walked over to remains of the headband and picked the biggest piece up.‘ _This device is a despicably cruel mechanism.’_ Her revulsion was quite evident in her thoughts.She threw the broken piece away from her. **

**“Can the shield be removed?”Maureen asked.**

**‘ _I think that I can trick his mind into lowering it, but I will have to have help.Then I or someone else will have to teach him to control it,’_ Murreena answered.‘ _But first we have to get to the site of safety in the mountains.There are patrols everywhere.How long will John be incapacitated?’_**

**“There is no telling, Murreena.But it shouldn’t be too long,” she saw the concerned looks on the faces of the others.“John is suffering from neurogenic shock.In a human, when the nervous system is put under too much trauma, it causes the circulatory system to begin shutting down. To put it simply, he passed out. I realize that Mizel has sent soldiers everywhere, Bralin and I ran into one such patrol, but if at all possible, John should be allowed to rest for awhile.”**

**“I will go out and watch for any activity,” Dar volunteered.**

**Maureen sat near John and watched the fire die down as the last hours of the night quietly rolled by.As the embers slowly cooled, she felt him stir beside her.“Maureen?” he asked softly.**

**Finding his hand, she squeezed it to reassure him.“I’m here, my love.”**

**“What happened?I remember talking to you, but... I don’t remember anything else.”**

**Maureen could detect the confusion in his voice.“You passed out, John.You were in shock.”She held the diagnostic and did a quick scan on him.“Are you feeling better?”**

**“Yes, I think so.I won’t know for sure until I get up,” he answered.“Did Murreena tell you what Mizel’s device did to me?” he asked morosely.**

**“Yes, it caused you to create a protective shield so powerful that not even you could get past it,” she told him.**

**“Uh, what?” he asked in a puzzled tone of voice.She explained what Murreena had told her.As they were speaking, Maureen noticed the early morning sun beginning to shine under the makeshift door covering and through the slats of the windows. John had a bemused look on his face.She leaned over and kissed him.**

**Dar silently slipped in and made his way to them.“Guardian, do you think that you can ride this morning?It is dawn and we really need to leave for the Greel Mountains before the patrols come this way.”**

**John reached his hand out and Dar helped him up.“Yes, I think so.There’s no dizziness this morning.”**

**Murreena slipped in, water cascading from her short hair over her shoulders and down her jumpsuit.She ran a webbed hand through her hair and smiled at him.Maureen started to say something.“I don’t think that translation is necessary this time.I’m feeling much better and eager to get to the mountains as well,” John said with a chuckle.**

**The embers were doused and scattered, bundles repacked and the tilons readied for the day’s ride.John took in the fact that there were not enough tilons for the group.“The Guardian will ride.Litha and the Guardian’s beloved can ride together, and Murreena and her companions can ride together on two of the tilons.Bralin and I will take turns riding the remaining mount.It will take us longer, but we will nevertheless get there by nightfall,” Dar explained.**

**As much as he wanted to, John didn’t protest.Although he felt much better than he had yesterday, he still felt tired and weak.His imprisonment had taken more out of him than he cared to admit.Nodding, he just mounted the tilon indicated, noticing that it was the one he had stolen when he escaped the previous night.**

**=============================**

**By the time the sun had set, Max had removed enough soil to be able to maneuver his body a little.The first thing he did was get his good leg in a position to help push himself out from under the tilon.Even the powerful mechanical appendage protested as he exerted more force than it was designed to handle.Finally he was free of the dead animal, and he stood up, his metal and plastic parts creaking.**

**Walking experimentally, he noticed that if he took most of the weight on his left leg and foot, he could walk reasonably well with only a limp to slow him down.With that analysis done, he turned and set out for the gate.His positronic brain calculated the amount of time it would take him to reach the site of the gate with his injured foot.He would be arriving after the 2300 hour time arranged, but it would only be by fifteen point two three minutes.**

**The robot limped slowly but inexorably toward the gate site, using the main road when possible and retreating into the woods when he heard noises indicating approaching humanoids.Max readjusted his calculations due to the interruptions in his progress and realized that he would be one point zero three hours late.He tried to speed up his walk, but his damaged joints began giving way, and he resumed his former pace.**

**When he finally reached the site of the gate, he didn’t hesitate, going directly to the place where Bralin had concealed the posts.His right leg creaking, he slowly dragged the first post to its place and dropped it into the hole.Then he did the same for the other post, finally returning to the hiding place and retrieving the servo-mechanisms that made the two posts conduits for teleportation.As he was making the connections, he heard the approach of a group of horsemen.**

**His calculations told him that it would be impossible for him to remove and hide the parts of the gate before being seen; therefore he continued to hook the wires up that would activate the gate.**

**“Why can’t we wait until tomorrow morning to check out your so-called hunch, Mirinin?” one voice echoed across the dark clearing.“It’s too dark out here to see anything, anyway.”**

**“Because when the prince says to go directly to the gate and check it out, then I am going to go directly to the gate and check it out.I don’t want to be hung like those fools that came out here before,” came the answer.**

**“But who would have taken the pieces, if a guardsman didn’t?”**

**“Who knows?”At that moment Max made the final connection, and the posts began glowing softly, throwing a soothing light across the clearing.“The gate!It’s there and working!!” the second voice cried.“Tear it down and kill any deviant-lover that gets in the way.”**

**Max heard several tilons approaching and prepared for an attack.He knew his skills were severely curtailed by the damage to his body, but he had to keep the gate open for the Jupiter II to come through.The first two soldiers who came close to him were soon nursing headaches caused by his long staff.Another was thrown off his tilon when it was tripped.The robot heard several others retreat, and for a moment there was only the muffled sounds of talking and movement.**

**His optics took in the presence of several projectile weapons, and instead of preparing for the next attack, he chose to charge the remaining soldiers, hoping to reach them before they used their rifles.As he limped toward the Krimlon, he heard the report of the first weapon and felt the thud of the projectile hitting him on the chest.Max knew that a large dent had been made but nothing that couldn’t be fixed later.The next shot hit his damaged leg and blew out the servo-mechanism that served as his knee.His momentum caused him to fall forward as a third shot caught him in the neck.**

**The soldiers slowly approached while the robot tried to raise himself into a sitting position.With his arms he snatched a weapon from the hands of one soldier, but his movements were sluggish, and as he tore the weapon apart, another weapon crashed down on his head, sending his positronic brain into sudden catharsis.**  
  
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**[Chapter Eighteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons18.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	18. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Eighteen-**

**Explanations and More Questions**

**Will paced the observation deck, looking out the window periodically.The gathering darkness beyond the window matched his mood.Don leaned back in his chair and sighed.“Will, you know that just as soon as Penny and the ssHreana feel the other gate, they’ll let us know.”Judy was at the helm, dividing her attention between the readings and her brother.Mark was fussing in the special flight chair that had been rigged for his use during launches.His tiny flutter-dragon was lying next to his shoulder squeaking anxiously.The Robot remained quiet.**

**Another hour passed. “What could have happened?Max has to get the gate put back together or we can never find that planet,” Will said plaintively.**

**“I know, Will.Max will get it up.He was probably delayed by something minor,” Judy suggested.Mark had finally fallen asleep, his lizard slept next to him.**

**Suddenly....“Will,” Penny’s voice came over the communicator.“Let’s go, the gate’s in operation!”**

**“All right, let’s see where all our work takes us,” Will said nervously.**

**Don’s fingers flew over the console and, with the ease of much practice initiated the launch sequence.The ship gracefully hovered near the gate.On the scanner, Will noticed the ssHreana ship floating a short distance behind them.“Okay, Robot, double check my figures,” the boy said, his voice tightly controlled.**

**“Affirmative. The figures are correctly entered.We can make the jump at anytime, Will Robinson,” the Robot intoned.**

**Leaning toward the communications console, Will said, “Penny, we’re going to jump.Follow in four minutes.”As soon as he received her acknowledgment, he turned to Don.“Let’s do it, Don.”**

**With a flash of light filling the viewscreen, the Jupiter II jumped forward and then jerked into sudden stop, hovering near a gate in a forest clearing.Don adjusted the repulsers and the ship slowly floated to a point, which he projected would be safe from the incoming ssHreana ship.Below the crew saw humanoids on horse-like creatures staring up at them and pointing.Mounting their animals, they soon fled the clearing.**

**“Will Robinson, I detect the presence of Max, but his readings are very weak,” the Robot informed them.The other ship suddenly appeared on the other side of the clearing, and both vessels landed.Lowering the ramp, Don and the Robot soon made their way to the battered robot.Don cursed softly when he saw the damage.**

**“Professor Robinson in capital....” Max said before his systems shut down.**

**“I will take him back on board and begin doing a diagnostic on him, Major West,” the Robot intoned. “It is the least I can do after what he did to get us here.”**

**Back on board the ship, Don and Will consulted with Garroween and Mreelon.“The capital is Kirvos and Reezel is the king there.I can only suppose that Mizel was ordered to take the Guardian there,” Garroween said, then paused.**

**“What’s wrong, Garroween?” Don asked quietly.**

**“King Reezel is a zealot in the quest to keep the Krimlon a ‘pure’ race, untainted by abomination.His son, Mizel, is much worse.The Purifier is worse than both.The Guardian seems to be in a no win situation.”**

**“Who is the Purifier?” Don asked, concern in his voice.**

**“He is the head of the Office of Purity.The Purifier and his followers make sure that Abominations are kept from tainting the Krimlon bloodline,” Mreelon said disdainfully.“As zealous as the king and his son are, it is the Purifier’s men who are most feared.They have almost unlimited power to determine who has the abomination, and they mete out judgments to those who do, and none of those punishments are merciful.Those men are the ones we must be careful of.”**

**“Sounds like Nazi brown shirts.Which direction is Kirvos?” Don asked.**

**“North,” Garroween said tersely.Don nodded.**

**=======================**

**“You told me that we would be able to kill the Guardian with this thing.My soldiers haven’t found his body, and now I get a message that my father is summoning me to Kirvos.I don’t have a prisoner, I don’t have a body and the underground is stirring the people up.What kind of plan did you saddle me with?”Mizel ranted as he paced in front of the Purifier.**

**The object of his diatribe just stood sedately to one side, his arms folded, his eyes glittering with hate.As the prince turned back to him, he carefully hid his true feelings behind a facade of concern.“My prince, I ‘saddled’ you with a plan that will eventually give you the kingdom.This escape can only serve our purpose.Let the word be carefully spread that members of the deviants’ underground came into our fair city and took the Guardian.Then make a call for all loyal Krimlon in your province to join a citizens’ army to root out this Guardian and his followers.”**

**“What will a rabble be able to do?” Mizel asked disdainfully.**

**“It will keep the dissident forces in hiding, making any of their efforts ineffectual.It will also give you the opportunity to see who is loyal and whom to suspect.I assume that many will join in order to keep from falling under suspicion.”**

**“Umm, yes, I see your point, Purifier.Very well, let it be done, and we shall see what happens when we return,” Mizel said.**

**“Very wise, my prince,” the Purifier said in a syrupy voice.**

**=====================**

**By late-morning, the temperature had risen to uncomfortable levels.Although not as hot as in previous days, it was still warm enough to cause great discomfort to the ssHreana and as soon as a pond came into view, the group halted.**

**‘ _We need to replenish,’_ Murreena told Dar.He nodded.‘ _We will be as quick as possible.’_**

**Maureen told John what Murreena had said, and they watched quietly for a minute.Finally unable to stand it anymore, he threw his right leg over the tilon’s neck and slid off, striding purposefully toward the water.As he approached the bank, he yanked off the bandage, pulled off his belt and slipped out of his boots.**

**“Guardian, what are you doing?”Dar asked in consternation.He was worried about patrols and while understanding the need of the ssHreana, was still impatient.**

**“I need to replenish, too,” John said tersely, punctuating his comment with a dive into the water.Maureen dismounted as well and was soon at the edge of the pond pulling off her boots and letting her feet dangle in the water.Sighing with relief, she felt as though she had done more walking in the past few days than she had the previous year.**

**John relished the cleansing feel of the water on his skin, imagining the past week’s worth of grime and sweat washing away.Suddenly he saw several ssHreana swimming languidly by, effortless in their movements.Murreena stopped and smiled at him, then swam on by.Coming up for air, he yanked off his tee shirt and threw it on the bank.Then he pulled off his socks, and they, too, hit the bank in a sodden heap.He heard his wife’s soft laughter.**

**Taking in a lungful of air, he swam straight for the shore, and with a quick motion, grabbed Maureen’s ankle and pulled her in to him. Her sharp cry of surprise was cut off as he surfaced and drew her close.“What about my fashion statement now, Mrs. Robinson?” he asked sardonically.**

**“Mmmm.Better, Mr. Robinson.”She kissed him tenderly and added more seriously,“I’m glad we’re together again.I’ve felt so very helpless ever since you were captured.”**

**“My dear, helpless was my middle name.I hope I never get in a situation like that again,” he admitted.They embraced and kissed one more time before he helped her onto the grassy bank.Looking at the mid-day sun filtering through the leaves of the trees, John kept trying to figure out what was missing in his thought processes, and after analyzing the situation, finally realized that his reasoning was deductive, there were no intuitive feelings whatsoever.He sighed and again mentally cursed Mizel.Wringing out his shirt, he put it back on.**

**Silverado and Maggie zipped into the little clearing and squeaked merrily at him before flying over to Maureen.He sighed again and waited impatiently.“The lizards say that there’s a secluded clearing near here with people who are sympathetic,” she passed along to him.He nodded as he pulled on his boots.**

**“Well, we might as well take advantage, since it’s near the lunch hour,” Dar commented morosely.**

**“My dear, we will make up for our lost time this afternoon, especially if they have a tilon we can borrow,” Litha reassured her husband.**

**John walked over to Murreena and tapped her on the shoulder.She had not even been aware of his approach.“You said that you thought you could remove this block I have?” he asked.She nodded and pointed to the ssHreana next to her.“Would it be possible to do it during the lunch break?”Again she nodded, seeing the desperate look in his eyes.**

**“John, are you sure you want to do this so soon?”Maureen queried.**

**“I’m sure,” he answered vehemently.She just put her hand on his arm to reassure him.**

**Within an hour, the little band reached the hidden glen the lizards had found.The small Krimlon family reminded him of Garroween and his family, and John was comforted by their reception.Maureen and Murreena approached him, the same male ssHreana that had been with her earlier, following closely behind.“Murreena says she is ready if you are.Her pod-mate Murwon will assist.”**

**“Yes, I’m ready.” John was very ready to get rid of that isolated feeling that had haunted him since his escape.It was an isolation that was even more profound than before his meeting with the flutter-dragons and the awakening of latent telepathic abilities.And it was profound enough to make him feel that he was still in prison even though he was in a safe place among friends.Looking around, he saw the two ssHreana, Silverado and Maureen.She leaned forward, kissed him and took his hand.**

**“John, Murreena tells me that you will have to try and relax and focus on me while she and her husband are working to help you. She says that you will not feel any actual pain, but your mind will recall what happened to you and will resist lowering the shield that it built,” Maureen explained to her husband.**

**Sitting on the floor and leaning back against Maureen, he tried to clear his mind, using techniques he had learned in the past.Feeling the cool touch of the ssHreana, he tensed slightly and then . . . he was back in the clearing, captive and helpless, feeling the hell-spawned headband constricting against his forehead, feeling the pain all over again. _No, not again!_ Then he was in the cell, captive, frustrated, light-years away from his family, alone.Next he was on the palace grounds, feeling the agony, hearing Mizel’s sadistic laughter.... _‘I will break you.....break you....’_**

**Crying out, he reached for the headband and felt something else . . . the light, gentle touch of a gentle hand stroking his cheek, touching him, someone talking to him, someone in his mind, a caress, a gentle reassurance..... ‘ _John, it’s Maureen.Listen to me; hear me, please.I love you, John.’_ __**

****

_**‘Mo....’** _**He felt like a drowning man trying to reach the surface, struggling, desperate. Something seemed to be pulling him down.His lungs, no, his mind felt as though it were on fire.‘ _Maureen, help me.....’_**

****

_**‘I’m here, John.Always, I’m here.’**_ **Her telepathic caress so soothing, so gentle, peaceful.....He felt another soothing presence.Silverado?**

****

**Calm pervaded his brain, his tight muscles relaxed, peaceful lethargy stole over his being, and he remembered nothing else, except the tenderness of his beloved’s caring.He only felt her thoughts in his mind . . . and then he felt himself drifting into somnolence.**

**‘ _I believe that we have succeeded,’_ Murwon intruded in Maureen’s thoughts.**

_**‘Yes, I felt his thoughts.’**_ **Maureen was struck with the peacefulness of her husband’s features and having felt his pain and anguish, understood his overwhelming desire to be free of the bondage that had been forced on him.The tears rolled down her cheeks, tears of sadness as well as tears of happiness.She held his sleeping form as she would that of a child, even to rocking gently.Silverado floated down from a rafter and landed on John’s chest, squeaking softly, his golden eyes bright and luminous.**

****

**Glancing up, Maureen noticed that Murreena and Murwon had silently slipped out of the room.After an hour, Dar came in.“Guardian’s beloved, we must leave,” he said gently.“I do not want to endanger these people any more than we already have.”**

**“But he’s still sleeping, Dar,” Maureen said, realizing that he was right.**

**“The Guardian’s tilon is trained to carry the wounded.You can ride near him,” Dar told her.She just nodded.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Nineteen](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons19.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	19. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Nineteen-**

**Journey Back**

**‘ _It would probably be much better if we went toward these Greel mountains to find our people while you go to Kirvos to find yours,”_ Brashiin said.**

**“I agree,” Don said.“And we will meet back here.”The ssHreana returned to their ship while the humans prepared for take-off.Penny remained on the Jupiter II.**

**After doing pre-flight checks, Don announced the lift-off sequence.“Will, do a systems check.”Will soon gave him the go-ahead.**

**The major engaged the main thrusters of the repulsers, and the spaceship began to lift gracefully from the ground.Then there was a loud pop from under the console, and the acrid scent of burning wire wafted across the room.Don immediately cut the engines, and the repulsers gently brought the ship back to the ground.Will used the fire extinguisher to control the small ensuing blaze.**

**Don cautiously slid under the console to inspect the damage.He muttered softly under his breath as he saw the burnt wires and shattered relays.“Contact Brashiin and inform him of our problem.If they want to go ahead and look for their people, tell them that I’ll understand.”**

**After a few moments, Penny got down on the floor near him.“Brashiin said that he will wait until daylight and then see what our situation is.He suggested that maybe a good night’s rest might make it easier to figure out the problem and its solution.”**

**Judy could feel her husband’s frustration.“Maybe he’s right, Don.I’m worried about Mom and Dad just like everyone else is, but no one can work well without sleep.”**

**Sighing, Don slid back out and looked steadily into her eyes.Then he nodded, “As much as I hate to admit it, I am very tired.Brashiin is right.”**

**“I will watch out for any attackers, Major West,” the Robot said, having returned to the observation deck from the cargo bay.**

**“How is Max?” Don asked.“Can he be salvaged?”**

**“Yes, Major West, I believe that I can restore most of his functions quickly, but we do not have the equipment or parts to get him back to 100% efficiency at this time.”**

**“Well, after we get the ship back on line, get to work on him.It’s the least we can do, and we need him.His expertise on what’s going on here will be invaluable,” Don explained.**

**“Affirmative, Major West.”Garroween and Mreelon continued to look out the observation window at their home planet for a while longer before retiring for the night.**

****

**Don and Will worked most of the next day replacing relays, checking systems, and doing diagnostics.“Robot, take a look at the relay crystals.”He showed several pieces to the automaton.“One of them was totally shattered, and the other ones show very peculiar breakage.What do you think?”**

**Taking the ruined pieces and examining them with his optics, he finally said,“I have done an analysis on the ruined pieces, and there were microscopic flaws that were not detected.I should have made a more detailed study of the crystals that Judy West found.”**

**“Robot, I’m not worried about that now.What I’m worried about is a replacement.I need to contact Brashiin and see if they might have something we can use,” Don said testily.**

**“We can probably cannibalize the space pod for parts if we have to,” Will suggested.**

**“Now that’s a very good idea, Will.It will be easier to work on the pod later once we get the Jupiter II up and running,” Don told the boy.**

**Several more hours of sweaty and backbreaking work and Don gave a satisfied sigh.**

**“Do you think it’ll work?” Will asked him.**

**“Only one way to find out.Okay, troops, take your places, we’re going to test the new relay,” Don announced.**

**“Don?” Penny’s voice came over the intercom.“Brashiin and Oanir are going to take off and head towards the mountains before it gets any later.The companions that are left are eager to reunite with the rest of the ssHreana.”**

**“Okay, Penny.Tell them good luck and hopefully we’ll meet back here soon. Oh, and tell them thanks for their help, too.”**

**“Sure, Don,” Penny answered.**

**When everyone was strapped in their seats, Don made last minute checks and then switched on the repulser jets.As the Jupiter II lifted gently into the darkening sky, the pilot let out a great sigh of relief.Within minutes, the spaceship was peacefully orbiting the planet.**

**Don turned to their Krimlon guests.“I believe that we should land in Kirvos about three hours before sunrise.I want to land near the palace, but not on the grounds.I’m afraid that landing on the palace grounds would be seen as a serious threat to the king, but I still want to be close enough to get Reezel’s attention.Is there is a place big enough to accommodate this ship, Garroween?”**

**“Yes, the Plaza of the Ancestors would be a good place.I remember visiting it when I was younger, and it is easily large enough to accommodate your spaceship, but not too far from the palace.You are wise not to land on the palace grounds,” Garroween agreed.**

**“Well then, everyone get some shuteye, especially you, Will.You’ve been really hauling a load on this, and I know that your dad would be proud of you.”Don looked down at the young man that he had watched grow so much in the past four years.**

**Will blushed slightly.“Thanks, Don.I just want to have Mom and Dad back with us.That’s all.”**

**Putting his hand on the boy’s shoulder, he said, “I know, Will.We all do.”He looked out the observation window at the brightly shining stars.“Well, let’s head to bed, gang.I think tomorrow will be a busy day.”The attending flutter-dragons squeaked their agreement.**

**============================**

**Awakening in a totally unfamiliar room made John anxious for a moment, but he was reassured to find Maureen and Maggie on one side of him and Silverado on the other. There was a small phosphorescent strip on the wall near him, and it appeared from the small amount of light it gave off that he was in a cave-like room.He barely made out a door on the other side of the small room and, restless, quietly extricated himself from his bedmates.**

**Maureen stirred slightly and he felt the tendrils of her thoughts.Elated that his isolation was finally over, he leaned over, kissed her cheek and sent a telepathic love note.A slight pain behind his eyes disturbed him briefly, but gratitude made him ignore his momentary discomfort.She looked tired and drawn, and he suspected that she had attended to him continuously since their stop for lunch, however long ago that was.**

**Silverado jerked his head up, squeaking sleepily.‘ _John, awake!Better?’_ the lizard sent, his thoughts bubbling with happiness.**

**“Yes, much better,” John whispered as he pulled on his clothes.The pants appeared to have been washed, and again he wondered how long he had been asleep.A shirt of the same material that Maureen had received from Mreelon laid next to his pants, and he looked at it with pleasure.It felt lightweight and looked big enough to fit him.Slipping it on, he reveled in the feel of something new against his skin.As soon as his shirt was on, Silverado flew over to his shoulder and curled his prehensile tail around John’s neck.**

**“Let’s go check this place out,” he said softly, stepping quietly out of the door and finding himself in a corridor lit brightly with many patches of the phosphorescent material.**

**‘ _Murreena, friends that way,’_ Silverado directed at the first junction of corridors.**

**“Where are Dar and Litha,” he asked.John received mental communication that they were back in a room near his and Maureen’s.He continued down the corridor, figuring that he would see the Krimlon couple when he returned to his own quarters.A short distance further, the passageway opened up to a massive cavern, lit by small natural-looking openings in the roof as well as the ever-present phosphorescent patches on the walls.In the middle of the vaulted room was a large pool, with a small river leading into it on the far end and flowing out of it near him.**

**‘ _John!You are feeling better?’_ Murreena asked him.He looked carefully into the pool and finally saw her head above the surface, her luminous eyes watching him steadily.Murwon broke the surface in a leap that propelled him several feet into the air and then back into the water again.John felt their happy thoughts swirling around in his mind, and he suddenly longed for Maureen.**

**“Yes,” he said, smiling.Silverado launched himself from his shoulder and soared above the heads of the ssHreana swimming in the pool, squeaking merrily.Approaching the edge of the pool, he saw Murreena walk up the sloping bank towards him, the water sheeting off of her silvery colored, dolphin-like skin.**

**‘ _Thank you, Murreena, for what you and Murwon did for me,’_ he said, trying to ignore the discomfort that accompanied that communication.“May I also ask you a question?”**

**‘ _Of course, John,’_ she said. **

**“Why am I still feeling the same pain that I did when I had the headband on?It is less severe, but it’s there nevertheless.”**

**‘ _John, among humanoids, including my own race, there is an illogical phenomenon in which someone who has lost a limb will swear they can still feel it.It hurts or itches or some similar sensation.I suspect that the same thing is happening to you.Your brain is still remembering the stimulus of the device and repeating it under similar circumstances.Am I making sense?’_ she asked.**

**“Yes, perfect sense.Theoretically, it should subside with time once my mind gets used to my new found freedom, so to speak,” he stated.**

**‘ _Yes.That was very powerful conditioning you received while you were incarcerated.Most of that conditioning has been removed, the rest you should be able to deal with in time,’_ she explained.**

**“Again, thanks, Murreena.”**

**‘ _John!Where are you?’_ Maureen called, a worried note in her communication.**

**‘ _I’m not too far away, Maureen.I’ll be right there,’_ he answered and waving to the ssHreana, walked back down the corridor to his quarters.Silverado squeaked and flew after him, landing on his shoulder.**

**======================**

**In the early predawn hours, the Jupiter II quietly landed in a large plaza near the palace of King Reezel.The repulser jets whispered a final sigh as they shut down.Buildings no more than two stories high ringed the plaza, most looking to be business establishments.**

**“I think we need to set up the force field just in case our reception is less than welcome,” Don said, looking at Garroween and Mreelon with a wry smile.**

**“And we need to leave your ship, Guardian’s brother.We have friends here who are sympathetic to us.In fact, they are part of a group working to change the attitudes of the populace,” Garroween explained.**

**“Sounds like an underground of sorts,” Don commented and then explained the term.**

**“It is.They will also know the whereabouts of the Guardian.What is most important, though, is that we will be able to let people know why you are here.I can only imagine what lies and propaganda will be spread when your ship is discovered.Is this force field you mentioned some kind of protective device?”**

**“Yes, it is, Garroween.And I appreciate your help.Just be careful,” Don said.“I would feel a lot better it if you took a communicator.With it you can let us know what’s going on.We’ll try to send a message to your government, but it may be difficult.”**

**Getting out a small hand-held communicator, Don showed the couple how to work it, then lowering the ramp, they carried out the force-field generator.Garroween and Mreelon silently slipped away in the ebony darkness while Will and Don set up the device.Just as they finished and turned on the machine, a shout informed them that they had been discovered.**

**“We have come here in peace, seeking the Guardian, who is our leader,” Don shouted into the darkness.Turning to the boy, he said, “Get inside now.There may be a rifle to go along with the voice, and I can’t guarantee that the force field is working one hundred percent.”Will was hurrying up the ramp when a shot rang out and ricocheted off the force field.**

**“Tell King Reezel that we want to talk peacefully with him.We only want our leader and then we’ll go.”Several more shots shattered the momentary stillness that followed his words, and with a sigh, the pilot walked up the ramp and closed the airlock door.**

**“Well, all we can hope for now is Garroween succeeding or King Reezel acting with something akin to reason,” Don stated flatly.“And all we can do now is broadcast a message over loudspeakers and hope and pray for the best.”**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Twenty](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons20.htm)**  
---  
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	20. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Twenty-**

**The Stage is Set**

_**‘Guardian, I must tell you what happened to the zanlings from K’rtr’m when this gate that you came through was set up,’** _**Krishn’r told John and Maureen right after they finished breakfast. John had showered and shaved, and with the hearty breakfast, was feeling almost back to normal by the time they had been summoned to see Krishn’r.Based on Penny’s description, this being was of the same species as her friend, K’rthk’rinkl. The creature was very small, not more than a meter tall, with mouth-parts and eyes very similar to the flutter-dragons.The alien had light reddish-gold downy fur.**

**“Yes, I know that except for one zanling, all seemed to have disappeared.I was wondering what had happened to them.There were quite a few when we left the planet four months ago,” John said.He watched the long, delicate fingers of the diminutive alien.They seemed to echo the little creature’s agitation, moving and gesturing as he spoke telepathically.**

**‘ _After the gate was set up, the Office of Purity kept watch to see what came through.When the first zanlings came through, they were ecstatic, realizing that they had finally found the Planet of Exile.The Purifier shut down the gate temporarily until King Reezel and his son, Mizel arrived, and then they hooked the gate back up,’_ Krishn’r paused and John felt great sadness in the alien’s thoughts.**

**‘ _When the zanlings began coming through again, the Purifier’s men started shooting them from the sky.We don’t think many escaped because only a few made it here,’_ Krishn’r paused. ‘ _I know that you have been treated horribly at the hands of Prince Mizel, but more and morepeople are coming into the open, demanding an end to the bigotry and fear.You have been the catalyst, the fulfilling of prophecy, but the soldiers of the prince are taking measures to put down open dissension.Guardian, your presence would break the hold the Office of Purity has had over this planet for hundreds of years.’_**

**Without a word, John got up and paced back and forth in the little room.Krishn’r was silent and Maureen watched her husband, realizing the strain under which this request was putting him.**

**“Yes, I’ll go back.I’ll do what I can to put down this repression, this reign of hatred.But you can never understand how very difficult this journey back into my nightmare is going to be,” John stated softly.**

_**‘Thank you, Guardian John Robinson,’** _**Krishn’r told him.**

****

**John stared at him.That was the first time he had been referred to by his given name since he got to this planet.He felt little tendrils of laughter in the alien’s thoughts. “How soon?”**

**‘ _Immediately. As soon as you can, Guardian,’_ the leader stated.John just nodded. **

**===================**

**“How long do you think it will take to put Max together again, Robot?” Will asked placing a tool in the pincer hand of the automaton.**

**“At the rate we are going, I project it will take another day, Will Robinson.I will at least be able to restore his positronic function and then Max will be able to help in his own reconstruction.I do not believe that there was any permanent loss from his memory banks,” the Robot explained.**

**“Good.Do you need my help right now?”**

**“No, Will Robinson.Not at the present time,” the Robot said as he made another adjustment on his damaged counterpart.**

**“Then I think I’ll practice some of the ‘chi chi nah’ that Max taught me,” Will told him.**

**“Very well,” the Robot answered as he leaned over to make more adjustments on Max’s body.**

**When he completed his exercises, Will looked at the cargo bay access hatch with renewed determination.Hearing footsteps, he turned and saw Don approaching.**

**“Will, tonight we’re going to lift off and find a more secluded place to land this ship.If we do that, I’ll be able to sneak back into the city and find your dad,” he explained.“We can’t just sit here being gawked at or attacked by the Krimlon.I only hope that we’re given the opportunity to take down the force field.I would hate to leave it behind.”Will just nodded.“By the way, you’re getting quite good at that acrobatic stuff,” Don added.**

**“ ‘Chi chi nah,’ ” he corrected.“And thanks.”**

**After Don left, Will returned to the work area where the Robot was working on Max.“Robot, if I had a plan to find Dad, would you help me without saying anything to Don?”**

**“That depends on whether your plan entails much danger, Will Robinson.I am programmed to keep you from harm.”**

**“You’re also programmed to protect my dad, too,’ the boy said tersely.“And all we’ve done today is sit in the ship and watch people protesting or trying to attack us.Dad could be sitting in a jail cell being tortured.I have to find out what’s going on.”**

**“If this civilization had not deteriorated to the pre-industrial level that it has, I could monitor communication systems,” the Robot mused. “What is your plan, Will Robinson?”**

**“If you can help me tonight when there is nobody out there, I can sneak into the king’s residence and find out where dad is,” Will said vaguely.**

**“My computations tell me that what you are proposing is not a plan.It is nothing more than the human phrase, ‘a shot in the dark,’ and as such is doomed to failure.”**

**“Robot, I know that it’s not planned out step by step, but there are several things that are in my favor.First of all, I resemble the general populace.I am almost the right height for a young adult, with the same hair color and close to the same eye color.I can wear a headband to cover the tops of my ears and I don’t think that my short hair will be that noticeable.Besides, it will be several hours before dawn, who’s going to be hanging around to notice me?”**

**“That remains to be seen, but I think that your plan is too dangerous.”**

**“I think that sitting around doing nothing but sending out a message is too dangerous for Dad and Mom, too,” Will snapped.**

**“That assessment is also correct, Will Robinson, but I do not want to see you in danger,” the Robot said in a somewhat sad tone of voice.**

**“If you can help me get out of the ship safely without being seen, then I think that getting to the palace will be fairly simple,” Will said, his voice hard with determination.**

**“Let me think on this.If I do not come up with a better solution, I will help you even though I do not like the idea."**

**“Thanks, Robot,” Will said with a sigh of relief.They worked together on Max until Nova announced dinner.**

**=============================**

**“My father,” Mizel said, bowing before King Reezel.The prince noticed that his father looked tired and even had the appearance of having aged somewhat since they had been together at the gate some twenty-five cycles before.He wondered remotely if he had some kind of ailment and couldn’t help the thrill that momentarily raced through his chest when he thought of his ascension to the throne.Squelching it as unseemly, Mizel looked at his father steadily while waiting for him to explain the reasons for his summons to the national capital.**

**“It has come to my ears that you captured an abomination that many believe is the Guardian of past legend.Is this true?” the old man asked.**

**“An alien and his beloved came through the same gate that the zanlings did, and we captured him.His resemblance to the details of that old story were uncanny, but I took measures to neutralize his effectiveness to stir up the rabble,” Mizel explained, hoping that his father’s information was incomplete.**

**“Funny thing, my son.It seems that the protests have intensified, and the ‘rabble’ as you call them, have complained that you have tortured the Guardian or killed him.This rabble has only increased since the reports came in from the provincial capital,” Reezel said, a hard look in his eyes belying the softness of his words.**

**“As far as I know, the Guardian is still alive.He escaped and might be hiding out in the Greel mountains or in the home of a sympathizer.My men have not found him.”**

**“With a restraining device attached?Maybe this alien really is the Guardian, if he can escape under those circumstances,” the king said sarcastically.**

**“He had help, Father,” Mizel growled.“Your illustrious son-in-law, Arandar, helped him.He and my dear sister are abomination sympathizers, they both helped the freak.”**

**“Litha?Impossible,” Reezel said, a catch in his throat betraying his emotions.“What proof?”**

**“She sent food for the Abomination to eat.When the prisoner escaped, Arandar and Moorelitha disappeared, presumably to the Greel mountains with the so-called Guardian,” the prince said tersely.**

**“If the alien and any of his people are captured, they are to be treated humanely and brought before me for questioning.Do you understand?You should have informed me right away when this Abomination was caught,” Reezel said coldly.“I am not happy with the way you handled this affair, my son.Send the Purifier to me.He seems to be your constant companion these days, he should be close by.”**

**“Father, you sound as though you really believe this . . . this animal is the Guardian,” Mizel commented.**

**“I know you believe he is the Guardian, or you wouldn’t have done what you did,” Reezel retorted.**

**Mizel ignored the comment.“You also sound sympathetic.”**

**King Reezel paced the room and then walked to his balcony overlooking the nicely manicured palace grounds. At present he couldn’t see the grounds; it was ebony dark beyond the aperture.“Perhaps we have been wrong all these centuries,” he murmured softly.**

**“What, Father?” Mizel asked, incredulous at what he thought he heard his father say.**

**“Nothing, son, just the babbling of a tired old man,” the king said as he turned back to Mizel.“But understand this; you will take no punitive actions against your sister.If she is found, she will be brought before me.Do you understand me?”**

**Mizel inclined his head.“Yes, Father.”**

**“Now leave and send me the Purifier.”Mizel turned on his heel and started to leave.A guard rushed in, breathless.**

**“Your highness, pardon my intrusion.A huge craft is sitting in the Plaza of the Ancestors.No one knows how it got there; it was just discovered by a watchman.It fills up most of the plaza. The owners of the craft talked about wanting their leader back.They said he was the Guardian.They were deviants; one very tall and .... your highness, when we tried to fire at them, our bullets just bounced off an invisible wall.”**

**Reezel turned back and looked out of the balcony again.The dawn was just making itself manifest.He surmised that it was a flying craft, such as the Ancestors once had, such as he had heard existed on other worlds, and it had landed during the past few hours.Sighing, he turned back to the soldier.“Send a contingent of troops to the plaza and keep watch.I will come and look at it myself later.Report any developments.”**

**=========================**

**John looked over at Maureen in concern.She had been dozing in the saddle and he was worried that she would fall off.Their pace had been grueling, and although he expressed his wishes that she remain in the safety of the Greel mountains, Maureen had been adamant that she not be separated from him again.Dar was leading the group and Litha rode behind them.John felt Dar’s displeasure at his own beloved’s presence on this trip as well.“Dar, when are we going to take a break?Even the tilons have to rest sometime.”**

**“In a few turns, Guardian, when the sun is at its hottest.Then we will find a shady area and eat and rest for a turn.The kreeling, Krishn’r indicated a great need for haste, and the news was already old when he received it.”**

**Their meal was eaten quickly and the remainder of the time spent resting.When it was time to leave, Maureen rested against John’s chest as they rode the biggest tilon.Its loping gait soon sent his wife into a deep sleep and later, as the sun began to set, the small group continued ever onward toward the capital city where the unrest was reported to be the greatest.Grateful for the different destination, John realized he had no desire to confront Prince Mizel again at this time.As the night deepened, and still they continued onward with only short breaks, he began to feel some of the lethargy that his wife had been feeling.**  
  
---  
  
**[Chapter Twenty-one](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons21.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	21. Will Takes Matters into His Own Hands

Chapter Twenty-One-  
Will Takes Matters Into His Own Hands 

By the time the sun set, nothing had been resolved, so Will quietly went about getting what he needed for his early morning excursion. A headband covered the tops of his ears, he had changed into dark and unobtrusive clothing and he carried only a small staff and the pouch that had become Nova’s incognito transportation.  
Slipping out of his cabin several hours before sunrise, he met the Robot in the cargo bay. “What’s it like out there, Robot?” he whispered. 

“There is a soldier half asleep in the northeast section of the plaza,” he intoned softly. 

“I have made sure that the landing ramp will make no noise discernible to the guard, and it will hide your departure from him. But I still do not like this idea of yours.” 

“Well, it doesn’t matter if you do or not, we’ll have to take our chance now because I know that Don will want to go out and dismantle the force field before sunrise.”  
Will held his breath as the access ramp was lowered. To him the noise seemed intense and deafening, but apparently it didn’t carry to the somnolent guard. “Robot, tell Don that I don’t want him to be upset, but I couldn’t leave without finding out what happened to Dad. I’ll be back as soon as I hear something.” 

“Very well, Will Robinson. Take care of yourself and be careful,” the Robot whispered sadly as he turned off the force field. 

His steps seemed as loud as cannon shots and his breathing harsh in his ears. Walking several feet away from the ship, Will turned and was surprised to see the soldier still leaning against the wall of a nearby building. Taking that as a cue, he sprinted to an opposite building and then into an alley. After getting oriented, the boy decided that this road would take him to the palace if it stayed on its present course. 

Will listened for any signs of pursuit and then continued at a more deliberate pace. Within an hour he was standing outside a wrought iron fence that appeared to enclose several massive stone buildings. Listening for any guards, he crouched down when he heard a single guard passing by, wishing he could still the hammering of his heart.  
The guard passed and as soon as he felt it safe to do so, Will quietly climbed over the fence and dropped down on the other side. He waited until the man had passed by again and then dashed toward the building. Stealthily, he circled the building, avoiding guards and trying to determine the best access inside the palace. At one point he saw a balcony suffused with a soft glowing light, and nearby was another one bathed in darkness. 

Unwinding the coiled rope from around his waist, Will swung it in an arc and let the weighted end go. With a dull clunk it landed on the darkened balcony. Giving the rope a hard yank, he found it secure and soon had clambered up and into the unlit room. Listening intently for a moment to make sure he was alone, Will reeled the rope up and carefully made his way to a big, ornamented door. He opened it just enough to see into the hallway beyond. 

Suddenly the door to the room next to his opened, and Will was able to hear the conversation. Thanks to Garroween and Mreelon’s language instructions, he was able to follow the conversation. “Purifier, I will go to the alien craft later today and seek to speak with its occupants whether you think I should or not. If these abominations had chosen to destroy us, they would have already done so,” a voice thundered. 

“But your highness, dealing with deviants is dangerous. These abominations must be destroyed. If we wait long enough, we will be able to find a way to use one of the ancestors’ weapons that will annihilate them. Then we can concentrate on finding the freak that is apparently their leader,” another voice, syrupy smooth, said.  
Will focused on the thoughts of the two speakers and was surprised to find that one of them was King Reezel himself. The boy continued to listen to their thoughts with Nova’s help, and the more he listened, the more puzzled he became. He wondered how Garroween ever got the idea that this man was the zealot that they had made him out to be. All of the king’s thoughts seemed sad and filled with regret, with brief visions of dead and dying zanlings mixed in. From the Purifier, though, he felt disdain, hatred and disgust. 

“No, Purifier. We will do it my way this time. What you showed me at that gate twenty-five cycles ago was sickening and made me realize what we had become. The slaughter of abominations must cease. Later I will go and set up a dialogue with these visitors,” King Reezel said. Will heard footsteps in the hallway, and taking a chance, he cracked the door open a little more. He watched the Purifier striding away from him, beckoning to a guard as he went. 

Soon the hallway was empty and after a reasonable time, Will dashed silently to the other door. Putting his ear to it, he heard a few slight noises and then silence. The light that shone from under the door had already gone out. After waiting for what seemed an eternity, Will quietly turned the knob and opened the door. The hall was dimly lit, and the boy sincerely hoped that the little bit of light didn’t alert the occupant. When his eyes had adjusted to the dimness of the room, he could see that the king was lying on a large bed, his back to him. Sending a telepathic message to Nova, he undid the pouch and let the little flutter-dragon have his freedom. The lizard spiraled to a rafter above his head and perched there, staring at him with his luminous golden eyes. 

Seeing a tray with a cup and pitcher on it, Will took it up and started over to the bed. “Your highness, I have something for you to drink,” he stated, figuring that boldness would be better than stealth. The figure on the bed bolted upright and looked at him in abject surprise. 

“Who are you, boy? I didn’t hear anybody come into my room,” the Krimlon ruler said testily. He had counted on his guard to keep away opportunists as well as would-be assassins. 

“I just now came in, your highness. You must have been asleep. I was asked to bring this to you,” Will said with a confidence that he didn’t totally feel. 

King Reezel lit a lamp near his bed and peered at him. “Who are you?” 

“A servant, your highness,” Will said evenly. 

“A very quiet one, apparently, you young scamp, to have slipped by my guard. And who ordered you to bring me refreshment at this time of the morning? Would you be one of those opportunistic street boys sneaking in and trying to make an impression on me?” Reezel chuckled at the look of confusion on Will’s face. Misinterpreting it, he continued. “If you are, then you have succeeded. I am impressed with your ingenuity. But you are a bit tall for a boy of your apparent age. How old?” 

“Thirteen, your highness. And yes, I was trying to impress you. I’m sorry to have intruded on your sleep,” Will informed him. 

“Sit down, boy and tell me who you are,” Reezel commanded him. Under normal circumstances, he was not such a trusting individual since one didn’t stay king long by taking the word of anyone that came along, but there was something about this boy that almost seemed to demand his trust. He went with his feelings. 

“I am named Will, sir.” 

“Tell me, young Will, do you think that I’m wrong to try to contact the aliens on that huge craft in the Plaza of the Ancestors?” Reezel astonished himself by his very blunt question to the young man whom he had just met. 

“No, sir,” Will stated emphatically. “They sound peaceful and all they say they want is their leader, the one called the Guardian.” 

“Do you believe he is the Guardian?” Reezel queried. 

“Yes, sir, I do. Where is he now?” Will asked. He had realized that his dad wasn’t the king’s prisoner when he had listened to the thoughts of the king and the Purifier. 

“No one knows where he is. The speculation was that when he escaped, he headed to the Greel Mountains,” Reezel said. Will was elated at this confirmation. Now all he had to do was get back to the Jupiter II and tell Don the good news. 

“Your Highness, it is late; perhaps I should leave you now,” Will said evenly. 

“No, lie down on the rug next to my bed. We can talk for a few minutes, and then you can sleep,” the king said, pointing to a shag rug near the bed. Will mentally shrugged and made himself comfortable. Soon both he and Reezel were sleeping soundly, the conversation having been minimal. A short while later a slight noise at the door indicated another visitor to the king’s room. The tiny bit of light gleamed off the blade in the intruder’s hand, and as the assailant approached the bed, Nova let out several loud imperative squeaks. 

Will jumped up, saw the intruder in the dim light and grabbed the metal pitcher. Propelling himself forward, he used the bed as a springboard and somersaulted toward the attacker. The boy’s feet hit the intruder in the chest, and the pitcher finished the job. King Reezel quickly lit the lantern near his bed and saw the young man standing over a prostrate form on the floor, pitcher in his hand, a look of triumph on his face. Next to the still form was a deadly twelve-inch long knife. 

“It would seem, my young friend, that you are more than opportunistic, you are also brave, but I heard something else, before you danced across my bed....” Reezel said and glancing up saw the gleaming eyes of the flutter-dragon. “A zanling!” He looked back down at Will, who was tying up the unconscious Krimlon. “Who are you?” 

“I am Will Robinson, and my father, John Robinson is the Guardian. We are originally from the planet Earth, and we bonded with the zanlings a year ago when we landed on Karturm. I came here trying to find my dad. He was captured over a week ago and all I have heard is what you said tonight, that he escaped,” Will said bluntly. 

“Yes, my son Mizel captured him and incarcerated him in the regional capital until his escape several cycles ago. It is surmised that he was all right if he could effect his own escape, but as to where he is, I could only speculate,” Reezel said softly. “You are a very brave young man. Your father would be proud of you.” 

“After he fussed at me for sneaking away from the ship alone at night, I suppose,” Will said with a grin. The grin faded quickly as he thought of the unknown status of his father and mother. 

A feeling of pity for this boy whose only desire was to find his father welled up inside him. “I will try and help you locate your father, Guardian’s son.” 

“My mother is missing as well. She came back to your world looking for Dad, too,” he said sadly. Then he looked at the king curiously. “Why are you so sympathetic to me and my family? I had heard that you were the main person, along with the Office of Purity, who was out to hunt and destroy the Abominations,” he said bluntly. 

Reezel looked sharply at the boy. “Those are very personal questions for a young man to be asking a king. But I detect an honesty in you that is unusual for those working for a leader such as myself. So I will answer your question, Guardian’s son. I was raised to hate all deviations and abominations. My father did not go out and hunt abominations, but he quietly sought out and exterminated those showing tendencies of abomination among our people. In the evenings he would expound to me the abominable traits, giving details of deviations that took away my appetite. I vowed to lead my people to the joy of a society devoid of any deviations by eliminating abominations on our world and elsewhere, as our ancestors had done. 

“And this is what I did until recently, when I was witness to a slaughter that sickened me. Until that time I was remote from the actual results of the Abomination hunts. I had always thought and been told that Abominations had no feelings, that they were cold, calculating and evil. Figures didn’t bother me; vague reports of captures and killings in the mountains didn’t affect me. But when I stood next to my son and watched the little zanlings scream their death cries as they were shot from the air, and what was worse, felt their pain and suffering, I was shocked. I felt their emotions, the trusting, happy thoughts cut short and replaced by fear and confusion....” His voice trailed off and Will felt his sadness. 

Slipping out of his bed, he looked at the tied up assailant and then drew back, his breath hissing between his teeth. “One of the Purifier’s men,” Reezel said quietly to no one in particular. 

============================ 

Don knocked on the door of Will’s cabin and called softly. “Come on, sport, we need to get the force field in before sunrise.” He waited impatiently, knocked again and slowly opened the door. The room was empty. A cold fear entered his heart and he ran to the intercom. “Robot, where are you?”  
“In the cargo bay, Major West,” the Robot intoned. 

Don was in the cargo bay in less than a minute. The Robot was working on Max, leaning over and making adjustments. “Where is Will?” the major asked tersely. 

“He went to the palace to try and find out the whereabouts of Professor Robinson.” 

“And you helped him?” Don was livid, his rage clearly showing on his face. “How could you allow him to do that? I can’t believe...” 

“I told him that it was a dangerous thing to do, but logic told me that he was going to go on his quest anyway, and his chances of leaving the ship safely were at least 10 percentage points higher if I helped him. I am sorry, Major West. He said that as soon as he found out something, he would return.” 

“If he can, that is,” Don fumed, his anger cooling somewhat and being replaced by anxiety over the boy’s safety. “I feel so helpless. I can’t do anything but wait.” 

“Perhaps if we can work together on Max, he will be able to give us information that will help resolve the situation,” the Robot suggested. 

“No, let me go check outside. Maybe Will’s on his way back. If he is, he’ll need the force field down,” the major commented morosely.  
For the next two hours the Robot worked at making the connections that would enable the martial arts robot’s positronic brain to reactivate. Finally a slight whirring noise heralded Max’s reactivation. 

“Professor Robinson in capital. Provincial capital....” Max intoned slowly. The Robot called Don in to hear Max’s report. 

Don was flabbergasted. “Provincial capital? That was to the south of this position, wasn’t it, Robot?” 

“Affirmative, Major West.” 

“Then we’re not even in the right place!” In his frustration, he threw the tool in his hand against the far bulkhead. “And we can’t do anything about it, because Will is off gallivanting around Kirvos!”


	22. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
---  
  
**Chapter Twenty-two**

**It All Comes Together**

**“Your Highness, I have word from my investigator, Frelor.He has discovered the uses of several more weapons which have great potential in our quest to destroy these abominations,” the Purifier said to Prince Mizel as they walked the palace grounds, just after sunrise.**

**“Oh?” Mizel asked.**

**“Let us suffice to say that they are weapons of great power, your highness.No one will dare question your leadership or authority.”**

**“Very good, Purifier,” Mizel gloated.“Surely the Guardian has heard of his people being here and is coming.”**

**“That is entirely possible, your Highness.However I have not heard from my enforcer.I can only surmise that he did not succeed in his assassination attempt.We shall have to watch and see.I will have to think up an explanation as to why one of my men was trying to assassinate the king,” the hooded man commented, changing the subject.**

**“You are sure that this is the only way to restore order and balance?”Mizel queried, trepidation in his voice.**

**“Of course. Your father has grown weak and vacillating.His indecision has caused much of the unrest.With him gone and you on the throne, all will be restored back to its natural balance.This move is for the good of the kingdom, the people.Only for the good of the Krimlon....”the Purifier told him placatingly.**

**“Very well, have Frelor deliver the weapons as soon as possible, and we will attack this afternoon during the hottest time of the day,” Mizel ordered.The hooded man simply bowed and walked away from the prince.**

**==========================**

**Just as the sun made its entrance over the distant horizon, the small group from the Greel Mountains was met at the outskirts of Kirvos by a lone Krimlon. “Come quickly, please.It is already late and you will be seen,” he gestured frantically.**

**John looked at Dar and nodded.‘ _He’s okay.’_ In silence the group traveled along older streets that were lined with tenement-like buildings.Occasionally they saw eyes watching them, and with a smile, John ordered Silverado from the traveling pouch and onto his accustomed perch on his shoulder.With a squeak of relief, the flutter-dragon wrapped his tail around his friend’s neck.Following her companion’s example, Maggie climbed onto Maureen’s shoulder as well.**

**Another hour along narrow side streets and the travelers reached their destination.With a slight groan, John stiffly dismounted and helped Maureen from her tilon.“If I never see another tilon again, it will be too soon,” he muttered.Dar just grinned as he assisted his own wife.A young Krimlon came out, took the reins of their mounts and motioned for them to enter the dwelling.**

**Ducking at the threshold, John walked into the cool, dim interior and stood leaning against one wall, Maureen at his side.“Thrice welcome, Guardian.Sit down, have some _comcreel_ and _greelongs_ ,” an older Krimlon said graciously, handing them both mugs of the spicy drink and motioning to a table with plates of pastries.**

**“No, thanks, I think I’ll stand for awhile,” John commented as he sipped the _comcreel_.**

**“The Guardian is not used to riding long distances on a tilon,” Dar said with a laugh.**

**“The Guardian is not used to riding long distances on anything other than a spaceship,” the professor said tersely, deciding that there was no use arguing anymore over their designation of him.**

**“Oh, you mean like the one in the Plaza of the Ancestors?” a younger Krimlon asked.**

**“There’s a spaceship here?”John and Maureen asked at the same time.**

**“Yes, Guardian, that is what we have been told the thing in the plaza is by our fellow sympathizers.There were two of our people who had been on it for several cycles, and they said the aliens were very kind to them.By the admission of the tall one at the spaceship, they are your family.”**

**“The Jupiter II made it through,” John said quietly.“How far away from here are they?”**

**“Not too far from the palace, Guardian.Several turns from here on foot.We can get you there by this afternoon, but it will be round about.Obviously, you stand out, which is good for our purposes, but if there are any soldiers around, it would not be very good for your continued well-being,” the older Krimlon said wryly.**

**John was elated that the rest of his family was only a few hours walking distance from him.“Maureen, I think it would be better for you to stay here until I get to the ship and find out what’s going on. I’d feel much better,” he said softly, knowing how insistent she had been lately.**

**Looking at the determined set of his face, she nodded. She felt so tired and was eager for all of this to be finished.“Just be careful, dear, and tell me what’s going on as soon as you can.”**

**“Yes, I will.Probably by Silverado,” he told her and punctuated his comment with a kiss.Turning to his Krimlon hosts, he said,“When can we start out?”**

**“As soon as you wish, Guardian,” came the answer.**

**“Let’s go now.I’m eager to get to my ship,” he said finishing the _comcreel_ and grabbing a _greelong_ off the serving tray.**

**“I am going as well,” Dar commented, and kissing his beloved, followed the group out a back door.Although she felt a small nagging fear for his safety, Maureen found a couch and lay down to rest while she waited for John.**

**The older Krimlon, Trenell, was correct when he said round about.He seemed determined to take the Guardian to all of the meeting places of anti-government sympathizers.**

**“Trenell, I don’t mind helping you in your quest to get the government to change it’s policies, but I really think that it would help if I got to my ship,” he finally told his escort.**

**“Guardian, there are many soldiers around the plaza and near your ship.You would never make it.These stops not only serve the purpose of letting the people know that the prophecy is real, but also will keep you safe from capture until you can return to your family under the cover of darkness.”**

**“Oh.Well, how far are we from my ship?”he asked.**

**“Actually, not that far.It lies only two streets away from here.We are slowly circling the plaza,” Trenell replied.“It is the hottest time of the day.Let us have a bit of refreshment before moving on.”**

**Suddenly, John jerked his head up.Silverado squeaked piercingly and flapped his gossamer wings in agitation.“NO!” he exclaimed.**

**“What is it, Guardian?”Trenell looked at him in alarm.Everyone in the room was suddenly very quiet following John’s outburst.**

**“The Purifier has someone setting up a weapon of mass destruction in the plaza.It is capable of destroying my ship along with my family,” he explained quickly, thrusting his mug into Trenell’s hands and dashing out the door.Dar was right behind him.**

**“Guardian, wait!You can’t go to the square now!”Trenell shouted.**

**“Try and stop me,” John called over his shoulder.“You had better have your people tell the civilians in the square to evacuate.That weapon has the potential to destroy more than just my ship.”**

**Trenell was flabbergasted.“But how do you know, Guardian?”he asked.**

**“I’m an abomination, remember?” came the answer and the two men dashed around the corner of a building and were gone from view.John was astonished at the lengths government would go to destroy those who deviated from the ‘norm.’ Trenell stood in place for a moment and then started shouting instructions, well aware that there would be many sympathizers in the plaza now that the Guardian had been seen.**

**==========================**

**Maureen woke abruptly from her sleep hearing agitated shouting and arguing.“It is entirely possible that there are weapons that could destroy a ship that large,” she heard Litha explaining to someone, her voice tight with anxiety.**

**“What is this about weapons and a ship?” Maureen asked sleepily.She felt the first tendrils of alarm from Maggie, who had also been asleep.**

**“It has been reported that the Purifier has an enforcer setting up a weapon in the plaza that will destroy your ship,” Litha explained.**

**Maureen blanched.“How fast can we get there?” she asked.**

**“On tilon, in less than a turn,” Litha said and started for the door.Maureen was right behind her.In a small stable behind the house they found the tilons quietly eating.With the help of several Krimlon, the mounts were quickly saddled.A youth offered to take them on the fastest possible route, and soon they were rushing through the streets at a reckless speed.As promised they burst into the plaza within an hour.**

**The Jupiter II sat in quiet repose, filling two-thirds of the plaza and crowds filling most of the rest of the space, although it seemed to Maureen that there was some discreet dispersal going on.Near the north end of the plaza, she saw John running toward a Krimlon near a machine.**

**===========================**

**“Young Will, let us go and meet the rest of your family.I refuse to let anything delay me further.We should have gone earlier in the day,” Reezel stated, the edge of determination in his voice.**

**Will couldn’t argue with the king.He thought they should have gone right after sunrise, but it seemed that as soon as the king had arranged to leave the palace, something else came up and then something after that, continuously until well after the midday meal.**

**“Joran, I want two of your most loyal guardsmen to accompany us to the plaza,” Reezel ordered.**

**“Your highness, the Purifier ordered that for your own safety, you were to remain here,” the bodyguard said.**

**“Who is king here?I gave you an order and it supersedes the Purifier’s.Are you loyal to me or to the Purifier?”**

**“To you, Highness, but if there is danger....”**

**“I am beginning to believe there is more danger here in the palace than there is on the streets,” Reezel said dryly.“Now do as you were ordered.”Bowing, the guard quickly complied and soon the royal entourage was slowly traveling to the plaza in the royal conveyance.Will felt that it needed a good tune-up and that they could probably get to the plaza quicker on foot, but he was not in the position to argue with the king even if he had wanted to.**

**======================**

**As he entered the plaza, John felt the triumphant thoughts of the enforcer as the last connection was made on the ball-shaped machine.The Krimlon’s thoughts were hard to read, due to groups of people nearby, but it was nevertheless clear that the attack on the Jupiter II was planned for the hottest time of the day. This knowledge spurred John on to greater speed as that time was near at hand.The crowd around the machine was sparse, probably due to fear of the device itself, but whatever the reason, he was grateful, as he was able to get to the man working on it.His shouting for the remaining spectators to get away caused the Krimlon to turn quickly.Seeing the Guardian racing toward him, the enforcer pulled his rifle from its back holster, pointed it and fired.**

**Feeling the bullet-like projectile skim across the outside of his left leg, John fell to the ground rolling, trying to ignore the pain.Somersaulting back to his feet, he took only two steps and launched himself at the soldier, hitting the man in the chest and using the momentum to knock the device off of its tripod base.**

**Pulling out a knife, the Krimlon rushed him and John sidestepped, reaching out with one foot and tripping his assailant.As the man crashed to the ground, John grabbed the knife, using the hilt to render the soldier unconscious.Ignoring the blood running down his leg, he picked up the device and studied it for a moment.Quickly figuring it out, he turned a few knobs and used the knife hilt to smash switches, rendering the trigger of the device useless.As he laid it down, he looked up to see Mizel, the Purifier and several guards approaching him.**

**Knowing there was no time to escape, John broke off a leg of the tripod and initiated an attack of the foremost soldier.Mizel stood back with a look of pure fury on his face.**  
  
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**[Chapter Twenty-three](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons23.htm)**  
---  
**[Chapter One](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons1.htm)**  
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	23. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
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**Chapter Twenty-three:**

**Final Confrontations**

**The first guard was surprised at the speed with which the Guardian initiated his attack and was soon lying on the ground nursing a sore head.The second pulled out a sword-like knife and attacked, but John just danced back and, making a quick parry with the steel post, pushed the guard’s arm down.Then a left cross dropped the man to the ground, where he lay groaning.**

**With a cry of rage, the Purifier pulled a long saber out from under his shroud and advanced quickly on John.“The people will see the end of the Guardian now,” he roared.With his hands on each end of the pole, John met the arcing swing of the Purifier’s saber before it reached his head.With his foot, John shoved the man back into the small crowd that had formed around them.**

**Hearing Silverado’s warning, John pivoted and saw Mizel rushing toward him, a garishly decorated sword in his hand.The speed of the prince’s attack caught John slightly off-guard, and the steel pole went skittering out of his hand and far out of reach.Several lightning thrusts and swings left the professor on the defensive.The knife he had confiscated from the soldier was scant aide against the long sword that the prince wielded, but his longer reach helped balance the odds slightly, and he avoided the prince’s advances.**

**“Professor Robinson!Catch,” the tinny voice of Max called out.Glancing up quickly, John saw the battered robot limping toward him, a plantiod-crinth in one hand, ready to throw it.**

**John rolled out of the reach of the advancing Purifier as well as Prince Mizel.As he stood up, he saw the deadly Graxod sword arcing through the air toward him.Snatching it before it hit the ground, John jerked the saber out of its sheath and turned toward his attackers.**

**Quickly advancing, John engaged the prince, his strokes sure and precise.He looked for the Purifier while he was fighting Mizel, but was unable to see him.He would have to rely on Silverado and Max for warning from that direction.The prince’s moves began to be choppy and erratic, as though the man rarely practiced.A few more advances and the ornate sword was snatched from Mizel’s grip by the point of the plantiod-crinth and sent sliding along the stones of the plaza.With a yelp, Mizel followed it, and John turned his attention to the Purifier.**

**‘ _JOHN!!!’_ he heard Maureen scream in his mind.Pivoting, he saw the Purifier’s arm around his wife’s neck and a device similar to his headband against the base of her skull.The terror-stricken look in her eyes was quickly extinguished, and she slumped to the ground.**

**“See what your interference has done, Guardian.Your beloved has taken the device that was meant for you.She will die and you will die soon after,” the hooded man gloated.**

**“Maureen....MAUREEN!!!!”John cried in rage and despair.He felt the quick shutting off of her telepathic cries as though a door had been slammed.**

**John heard Litha cry out in fear and suddenly Dar rushed past him, his long knife in his hand.He ignored the threat of Mizel, realizing that Dar was engaging the prince.John advanced on the Purifier with the fury of a berserker, the plantiod-crinth finding the hooded man’s blade in blow after blow, never letting up.Jumping out of the way, the Krimlon made an advance of his own, and the two blades met with a crash, sliding down to the hilts.**

**“What did you do to her?” John hissed.**

**“A blocking device, Abomination,” the Purifier laughed, shoving John away from him.**

**Remotely, John was amazed at the strength in the Purifier’s arms and realized that this man **did** practice.Another advance brought the two fighters close to each other again, and the Krimlon laughed a gloating, triumphant laugh.“It slowly blocks off areas of the victim’s brain, ending with the part that controls all involuntary functions.Your beloved’s heart and lungs will stop and she will die.And there is nothing you can do about it.”**

**Cold rage sat like a stone in his heart, and then it exploded throughout his body.With a roar, he advanced on the Purifier and beat him back step by step.Fear replaced gloating in the Krimlon’s eyes, and the strokes of the blade became weaker and less sure as John’s relentless attack continued.Suddenly John parried an erratic thrust and forced the Purifier back up against the king’s transport, the point of his blade against the man’s chest.“Tell me how to neutralize it if you want to live,” he hissed.**

**“You are the Guardian.You find out, Freak.But I will never surrender to you,” the Purifier answered and surged toward John allowing the plantiod-crinth to enter his body.The Krimlon slumped forward in death, and horrified, John let go of the blade, letting the body drop to the ground. Quickly, he swung around and saw Mizel dead on the ground, Dar’s knife protruding from his chest.Litha was holding Maureen in her lap, tears flowing down her cheeks.**

**John raced over to Maureen and reached for the device to pull it off.‘ _No, John!Will kill Maureen,’_ he heard Silverado and Maggie tell him.**

**“She will die regardless,” he said softly, now cradling Maureen’s still form in his arms.Vaguely he heard the shouts of his children, but he ignored them, instead trying to reach his wife telepathically.**

**John felt hot tears of futility, despair and fear flow down his cheeks, something that had not happened since he was a child in the tough neighborhood of his youth.“Maureen,” he whispered, holding her tight and feeling the soft beating of her heart slowly ebbing away.He had promised to cherish and protect her, and he was helpless, unable to keep her alive, unable to save her.**

**John had always assumed that she would be there.Be there for him, for the children. Even when the danger was greatest, she was there; his pillar, his strength.Reassuring him, loving him, supporting him. Now that pillar was being pulled from under his foundation.His heart felt as though it was being ripped out of his chest, and he didn’t know what he would do without her.Even lost in space, he had her.Now...**

**Kissing her, he whispered in her ear, “I love you, Mo.”He felt the hideous device with his fingers.“Don’t take her from me, please God, don’t,” he murmured fervently.**

**‘ _Weapon to destroy a weapon,’_ was the thought in the mind of the Purifier, when John had asked how to neutralize the device.It was as though it were something the Krimlon had read without truly understanding what it meant. _Weapon to destroy a weapon...._ John thought, realizing this had significance. _Weapon..... Yes!Another weapon,_ he thought suddenly.Gently laying his wife down, he dug in her pockets until he found what he was looking for.The small ball with which Smith had accidentally struck him down over a year ago.Maureen had mentioned it during their short sojourn in the Greel Mountains. **

**Turning Maureen over and then concentrating on the small device in his hand, he focused on sending a neutralizing beam of energy to the band at the base of her skull. _Concentrate, concentrate, focus....._ A bright beam of light shot from the ball in his hand and struck the hellish band.It felt warm in his fingers as he continued to draw on its power.Finally, John heard a small pop and the blocking device fell from her neck, with only a minimal amount of bleeding.**

**Taking Maureen back into his arms, he felt her pulse and was horrified to realize that her heart was still weakening, her breath almost non-existent.‘ _Maureen, come back to me.We need you.Come back.’_ A throbbing pain forced its way into the forefront of his consciousness, but he pushed it away.Suddenly he felt the presence of all of the flutter-dragons, lending strength, building his confidence. Then he felt the touch of his children, especially Penny, also lending strength.He used this increased power to reach down into the innermost parts of Maureen’s brain, to induce her body to function once more.**

**Sweat mixed with tears and still he concentrated, delving telepathically, trying to get a response.Finally, Maureen gave a slight sigh and the unsteady rhythm of her breathing changed to the quiet ebb and flow of normal lung function.John felt her heartbeat strengthening, and he looked up to see his family staring at them, Judy and Penny crying softly.Then the flutter-dragons’ happy warbling told everyone what he didn’t have the voice to say at the moment.**

**Beckoning to Judy, he said in a husky voice, “Take care of your mother until I come back.There’s something I have do.”She gave him a questioning look, but John ignored it, only picking up the small round weapon, putting it in his pocket and standing up slowly, unsteadily.Dar grabbed his arm to help him and Silverado landed on his shoulder, curling his tail around his neck.**

**“Guardian, I will come with you,” Dar announced.**

**Shaking his head, John simply said, “No, just me.... Alone.”Looking deep into his friend’s eyes, he saw understanding.“Does someone have a tilon I can borrow?”A mount was brought to him, and he reached for the reins.He felt so tired, but he also felt the overpowering compulsion to finish what he knew he had to do.He could not rest until everything was taken care of.**

**When he had pulled himself into the saddle, he felt a hand on his knee and looking down, saw Will gazing up at him.They said nothing to each other for a moment.John looked over to the Jupiter II and then back at Will.“Thank you, Will, for following through.I’m proud of you.You did a man’s job.I’m proud of all of you, and I love you all,” he said to the rest of his family.Looking at the king, cradling his dead son in his lap, he added, “I am truly sorry, your Highness.”**

**The king looked up, the anguish palpable on his countenance.“We were so unwilling to bend, to be tolerant.I reaped the consequences of what I sowed.”**

**“ _No, your highness.’_ John said telepathically. _‘Your son could have figured out the same things that you did.He made his choices, but I am very sorry for your loss_.”Reezel just nodded, unable to say anything else.Litha stood near her father.**

**Will watched his father ride toward a side street on the opposite side of the plaza, thinking vaguely that it was the same street that he had taken earlier in the morning.His dad had given no telepathic clues, but he felt that it was something dangerous and he was worried.‘ _The same street that I took..... The palace; he’s going to the palace.Dad picked up the little weapon before mounting.He’s going to destroy the cache of lost weapons!’_ And suddenly Will understood the danger of what his dad was going to do.“Don, Dad’s going to destroy the cache of weapons!”**

**“What?What do you mean?”Don asked from Judy’s side.**

**“The cache of lost weapons and scientific equipment that was found in caves here on Krimlon is stored near the palace.Dad is going to use that weapon Dr. Smith found to destroy them!”Will said anxiously.**

**“Will, I have to get your mother to the Jupiter II, and then we’ll go after him.You see if you can get a couple more tilons and meet me at the ramp,” he said, picking up Maureen and carrying her unconscious form into the ship.By the time he came back out, Will was mounted on one tilon and holding the reins of the other one for Don.**

**=========================**

**John rode into the narrow plaza fronting the palace grounds and immediately recognized the building being used for storing the scientific discoveries.It was separated from the main building by a long, narrow walkway and had a minimum of windows.It appeared to have been built with security in mind.Riding through the crowds made sparse by the spectacle in the Plaza of the Ancestors, he approached the palace gate.“Tell everyone in the palace to move as far away from the security building as they can.And tell them to do it quickly. I will only wait a few minutes.”**

**“Who are you to give us orders, Abomination?” one of the guards asked tersely.Silverado lifted his head up from John’s shoulder and squeaked indignantly.The man blanched.“The Guardian,” he breathed.“So it’s true.”**

**“So it would seem, soldier,” John answered vaguely.“Now do as I have commanded,” he added in a more authoritarian voice.The men scrambled into the palace.“Silverado, do you detect the presence of anybody in the weapons building?”**

**‘ _No, John,’_ Silverado told him.It was as he thought.Riding back through the crowds, he warned them away as well.Dismounting, John sent the tilon back down the street from which he had come.Taking several deep breaths, he tried to empty his mind of all extraneous thoughts, his worry for Maureen, his fear, his exhaustion and to focus only on his determination to destroy these instruments of death and degradation.He felt Silverado’s force merging with his own and he concentrated on the weapon in his hands, holding it up toward the building.**

**‘ _Concentrate.....concentrate.’_ Silverado’s powerful thoughts blended with his own.The ball in his hands began to grow warm, then hot and finally searing, but John put that from his mind as well.“Focus,” he murmured to himself.Let everything else go.**

**‘ _Destroy destruction,’_ he heard from the zanling, and John concentrated on that thought.‘ _Destroy destruction.’_ Suddenly a fiercely bright light shot from the weapon in his hand and blew a hole in the side of the two-story building.Several pops and creaking noises came from the interior of the structure, and John wondered if he had done anything more than minor damage.Just as he was ready to try again, he heard an ominous rumbling and saw a small amount of smoke rising through the hole his weapon had made. **

**Dropping the now blackened weapon at his feet, John turned and ran, snatching the flutter-dragon from his shoulder and cradling him in his arms.Behind him, the rumbling increased and a roaring sound preceded the explosion that shattered windows in the nearby houses and caused a shower of glass to fall on the pair.At almost the same time the concussion of the blast hit and slammed them to the ground.With a slight groan, John lapsed into unconsciousness.Soon the palace grounds and the plaza in front of it were still, with only the sound of falling plaster and glass encroaching on the silence.**  
  
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**[Chapter Twenty-four](http://www.bookscape.net/lis/dragons24.htm)**  
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	24. Planet of Dragons

Planet of Dragons

_**Planet of Dragons**_  
  
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**Chapter Twenty-four:**

**Endings**

**John woke up in a large, very soft feather-type bed.He had been dreaming of floating on hot clouds.Very hot clouds.Reaching down to throw off the heavy blanket that covered him, he realized that his hands were bandaged, and he looked at them in confusion, wondering what had happened.Slowly remembrance came to him as he used his feet to push off the suffocating quilt.Looking around, the professor saw that he was alone in one of the most ornate rooms he had ever seen.**

**‘ _Not alone!’_ came the quick response and John turned his head to see Silverado sitting on a bed post, chirping indignantly at him.The zanling’s wings were bandaged against his side, he noticed in alarm.‘ _Better soon, Krishn’r said,’_ came the response.‘ _You too!’_ Silverado hopped down from the bedpost and negotiated the bedding to reach his side.John held out his hand and the little lizard hopped on his wrist and crawled up to his shoulder where he nuzzled under his ear.**

**Sliding out of bed, John was amused to see that he had been dressed in a night shirt. Somehow it reminded him of Dr. Smith and he chuckled.Then as more of his recent memories sorted themselves out, he thought of Maureen and wondered where she was.‘ _Maureen is better,’_ came Silverado’s thought.**

**“Eavesdropper,” he muttered.The zanling squeaked brightly, totally unrepentant.And then John laughed.Outside the sun was shining brightly.Maureen was better and the nightmare that had begun more than two weeks ago was presumably over.Perhaps life was going to convert to a bit of normalcy.He walked around the room tentatively at first, his left leg a bit stiff and sore from the wound he had sustained.Within a few minutes he had worked out the stiffness.Then a knock at the door interrupted his reverie.“Come in,” he answered and was surprised when he saw Dar and King Reezel enter.**

**“Do you feel better, Guardian?”the king asked.**

**“Yes, I do, but I’m eager to see my beloved.Where is she?”**

**“She awakened late yesterday and is much improved,” Dar told him, an amused look on his face.**

**John looked down and remembered his state of dress.“You know, if someone could help me, I would prefer to be in pants and a shirt.”Silverado warbled happily from his shoulder.**

**Another knock at the door and Maureen entered.Although she still looked a bit wan, to John she was as beautiful as an angel.Rushing into his arms, she hugged him tight, murmuring expressions of love.In his happiness, he enveloped her in his arms and smothered her with kisses.“Maureen, you are certainly a sight for sore eyes.Don’t ever leave me,” he murmured softly.Then he looked up and saw the two Krimlon smiling happily.“Your Highness, I would really appreciate a little privacy...,” he said.Silverado squeaked joyfully.“You, too,” he added.The lizard stared at him and then hopped onto Dar’s outstretched arm.**

**When they had left, Maureen looked at John’s bandaged hands.“Oh, John, I’m so sorry.Do they hurt?”**

**Laughing, he led her to the bed, where they sat down.“Mo, you’re talking to the man who’s dressed like Dr. Smith.How can you be serious?”**

**She looked him over and began giggling. “I’ll get you a pair of pants and a shirt, dear,” she finally said.**

**“Not right now,” he murmured and began kissing her tenderly.“I was so afraid that I had lost you, Maureen,” he added softly.“I was so scared.”**

**“Oh, John, the last thing I remembered was hearing you calling to me.Then I felt the lizards and the children,” she said.“I was scared, too. That device was horrible.”**

**Some time later, a knock interrupted their interlude.“Guardian, I have come to check your injuries.”John sighed and bid the doctor enter.**

**A Krimlon entered, and without saying more than three words, he began unwrapping the bandages from John’s left hand.The professor saw where the device had burned the palm of his hand, but also noticed that it appeared to be minor and had almost healed.When the doctor touched his hand, there was no pain, only a bit of tenderness, and it was not re-bandaged.The right hand was more deeply burned, and after applying a cooling salve, the doctor re-bandaged it.Within a short time, the physician had finished and the couple was once again left alone.**

**Five minutes later another knock came on their door.“Guardian, the King and his successor request your presence in the audience chamber.He also requests the presence of your beloved, as well.”**

**John almost called out his opinion of seeing anyone else at this time, but Maureen laid her hand on his arm.“Dear heart, I have been told that we were unconscious for almost three days.I guess we should see what everybody wants.”**

**“Yes, I suppose so,” he acquiesced humorlessly.After John had put on a comfortably lightweight shirt, Maureen helped him button it, and then she helped him with the rest of his clothes.Soon the pair was ready to leave and finding a servant, made their way to audience chamber.They found it to be immense, presumably capable of holding great numbers of people when the king was holding court.**

**“Ahh, Guardian, thrice welcome.And are you more comfortable?”Reezel asked.**

**John noticed that Dar was out of his soldier’s uniform and was dressed in very costly apparel.“Yes, I am much more comfortable, and I appreciate the care we have received during the time of our convalescence, your Highness.”Turning to Dar, he said, “Congratulations, my friend on your promotion.”**

**“How did you know?”Dar said, looking surprised.Then a look of understanding passed across his face.**

**“Dar, I didn’t need telepathy to tell me of your promotion, just as I didn’t need it to tell me that your beloved is a so-called deviant and that was why she was allowed to unite with a palace guard,” John explained to his surprised friend.**

**“Guardian, you are very astute,” King Reezel said with a chuckle. “I thought I was punishing my daughter as well as protecting her. Yes, it was noticed that Moorelitha, my only living daughter, had prophetic sight, telling of things to come in the future, but I could not bear for her to be totally exiled, much less put to death.So when she and Arandar fell in love, I allowed it, as a token of my displeasure.And I sent them to the provincial capital and ordered, may the One Whole forgive me, her sterilization.”The king paused for a moment.“I didn’t realize until the slaughter of the zanlings at the gate where that deviant trait came from.When I so clearly heard and felt the death throes of the zanlings, I knew that I had the abomination as well.”**

**“Your highness, the sterilization only occurred on paper.I would not allow the princess to be degraded in that matter and resorted to bribery and subterfuge to keep anyone from knowing.We have been... careful,” Dar admitted.**

**Reezel cried out in surprise.“You cannot imagine what joy that has brought me.Thank you, Prince Arandar, for your courage and foresight.”**

**Silverado chirped happily from his shoulder, while John absently stroked the lizard’s head.A servant announced the arrival of a delegation from the Greel Mountains, and he was glad to see Murreena and Murwon amongst that group as well as Krishn’r.Several small zanlings circled and danced above them in the vaulted ceiling, chirping happily.Maggie quickly joined them, while Silverado sat on John’s shoulder and serenaded them with happy squeaks.**

**‘ _The zanlings are finally home where they belong,’_ Krishn’r announced happily.That announcement caused the silver lizard to stop his joyful expressions and stare balefully at the kreeling.**

**“Then you are saying that the zanlings will remain on Krimlon?What if they wish to return to Karturm?Or with us?”John saw the other eight lizards join the group already pirouetting in the air and felt the presence of the rest of his family nearby.**

**‘ _This is the homeland.The zanlings belong here, and the future king of the zanlings must begin his training,’_ Krishn’r explained.**

**‘ _No, not here.Stay with friends!’_ Silverado broadcast so strongly that John almost felt overwhelmed by his friend’s emotion.The other lizards flew down and watched them all curiously.**

**“Krishn’r, why does the future king of the zanlings have to stay here to train?Silverado has bonded, been loyal, saved my life several times, as well as saving my family and the entire human race, and he is growing and maturing.And all of these things happened before we ever arrived here.”John paused and gathered his thoughts for a moment.“I believe that Silverado will know when he needs to return to fulfill his destiny.Perhaps we should let him have a say in his training, Krishn’r, especially since there are no more ancients to oversee the training, only caretakers.”**

**‘ _You have surmised correctly, Guardian.The kreeling were simply caretakers; nannies, I believe is the closest term in your language,’_ Krishn’r said, a bit of melancholy in his voice.‘ _And I seem to be the only one left.’_**

**“And Krishn’r, why are we concentrating on zanling kings and Krimlon kings?There are not many, but there are zanlings who are not bonded.Whatever happened in the past, it seems quite obvious that the zanlings benefit from bonding with other life forms.You can see that there are great differences in the development of the ‘wild’ zanlings and those with whom we have bonded. Why not let the zanlings that are left and the Krimlon bond as we have?What better way for a reconciliation and what better way to get rid of the ingrained phobias against ‘abominations?’ ”**

**‘ _Yes, yes, yes!’_ their lizards chorused.**

**“And Krishn’r, why consider yourself just a caretaker?You are the only one here who knows anything about the ancient ones.You could be a teacher to the zanlings and the Krimlon, that is if King Reezel and Prince Arandar do not object,” John added, looking toward the two Krimlon.**

**“I agree,” Dar stated.“I, for one, would like to know more of the history of this planet, and not just my people’s history.”John smiled at his friend.If his deductions were correct, there was much about Krimlon history that would surprise Dar, especially the part about the Krimlon colonization of this planet.**

**Reezel looked at John in astonishment and then at Dar.“I’m sorry Guardian, but there is no one who can convince me that you are not the Guardian of prophecy, least of all yourself.That kind of learning and bonding would surely bring about a reconciliation and an end to the dark age of intolerance that has plagued our world.”**

**Maureen held his arm tightly.‘ _Way to go, Guardian,’_ she thought happily.The flutter-dragons sent joyful thoughts, and their music echoed through the vaulted room.**

**“I propose that we declare a holiday of reconciliation,” King Reezel announced.“Let it begin in four days and last four days.Will you and your family stay for that, Guardian?”**

**“Of course, your Highness,” John replied brightly.**

**The king nodded.“But now I think your family wants time for a reunion.”John looked at him gratefully.“This audience is at an end for today.Tonight we have a feast in honor of the reuniting of your family as well as of mine.”**

**John suddenly found himself overwhelmed by his children, and his heart was filled with gratitude for this joyful ending to a very bleak beginning.**

**============================**

**Sitting in the rocking chair with his three-month-old grandson, John sighed, deeply content.It was the evening of Christmas Day.It had been celebrated in conjunction with the Krimlon Holiday of Reconciliation, and some of his family’s Christmas customs had been incorporated into the new holiday.A small conifer was brightly blinking on the observation deck, which matched the large one that had been set up in the plaza in front of the palace.**

**He would have preferred a quiet celebration, but bowed to the wishes of his Krimlon hosts.Endless feasts had made him almost forget the hard days of his confinement, and he thought wryly that he would have to make an appointment with the newly restored Max.John was still amazed at the resourcefulness of the Robot in finding the parts needed to do that job.**

**Looking back down at the book in his left hand, he continued reading.Silverado was sitting on his shoulder looking at the drawings, his golden eyes glowing.Mark’s flutter-dragon was cheeping softly from his other shoulder, alternately looking at the baby and the book.**

****

**“ ‘Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!**

**‘Maybe Christmas,’ he thought, ‘ _doesn’t_ come from a store.**

**‘Maybe Christmas....perhaps....means a little bit more!’ ”John paused and looked down at the gurgling baby.Yes, life had been very hard these past four years, but his heart was full of gratitude nevertheless. “Yes, Mark, it does mean a little bit more.It means love and joy,” he said softly, leaning down and kissing his grandson on the forehead.“My grandson, no matter where you are under these marvelous stars, may you always know that love and joy.”**

**The End**  
  
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